More Than Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is a symbol of the struggling worker who faces little hope of advancement, both in the US and abroad. The world’s largest retailer offers low prices by paying millions of workers minimum wage and passing many health-care costs onto government programs for the poor. The US government supports the work ethic. Since 1970, the US government decreased employer regulation, eliminated pension protections, encouraged exorbitant salaries for corporate executives, while making the poor and middle-class pay a higher proportion of taxes. The system encourages productivity, requiring workers to do more every day, but stalls wages. The extra profits from productivity go toward executive salaries and shareholder earnings. The US Federal Reserve expresses concern that rising wages will spark inflation, but is carefree about hefty increases for CEOs. Politicians can’t blame Wal-Mart, but must start examining the policies that create a widening gap between rich and poor. – YaleGlobal