National Catholic Reporter

Many commentators maintain that the gap between the rich and the poor is growing. In the following viewpoint, the editors of National Catholic Reporter argue that one measure of this gap—the income gap—is worsening in the United States and in the rest of the world. According to the editors, income inequality in America increased by 22.4 percent between 1968 and 1994. The National Catholic Reporter editors contend that this increase has brought the United States closer to the situation found in Brazil, Britain, Guatemala, and other nations with highly pronounced economic stratification. National Catholic Reporter is an independent Catholic newsweekly.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What neoconservative belief is inaccurate, according to the National Catholic Reporter editors?
2. According to Census Bureau statistics cited by the editors, by what percentage did average income grow among the bottom...