Why Does the Rich Get Richer? While the Poor get Poorer?

Answer 1

Generally because the rich got that way by making sound decisions while the poor made bad ones. I've known many people who would be considered "working poor" who never get out of that rut because they just cannot save money - there's things they "need" or they go have another kid or whatnot. It's all about getting into a rut of bad choices and being unable to get out.

Don't believe that it's all about Bush, either - it's been the same no matter what the administration.

Answer 2

It is for the most part due to the nature of capitalism. The rich control a very uneven distribution of wealth ( the proliferation of wealth in such a confined corner as the elite 1-5% is what was the main cause of the great depression, more so than buying on the margin and black tuesday), and can utilize that to perpetuate their wealth. Since working class are wage earners, it is very difficult to acquire wealth unless through some great feat, skill or luck. The very nature of capitalism works against the poor. I am not trying to sound like a super liberal but this is just the way this system works. This answer by the way is very generalized...

Answer 3

one of the major cause is structural adjustment. many things are structured to be that way so the rich get richer, poor get poorer for instance if you are rich and powerful, you can manipulate almost everything say like politics, government, etc to even make you bigger.
nowadays we have lots of multinational company, a very big companies occupying lots of resources but the profit is for few persons (you could call it capitalism too).
it is also affected with industrial revolution, etc.
the more details you should check www.globalissues.org/traderelated/poverty.asp
and some surprising facts and stats
www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Facts.asp

Answer 4

A lot of poor people are not poor because they are making bad decisions or don't know as much about money. Our society DOES penalize the poor. Poor people live paycheck to paycheck, and it is a joke to think minimum wage could ever support you. Rent is expensive and throws your money away and you have to pay it. Same for bills. Poor people are likely to have a crappy car. Which is likely to break down. Then they have to pay more in repairs. This makes them late on a rent payment. Then they are slapped with a fine. This sets them back further and they are late with their electric payment. They get a fine. They have to pay a huge fee to turn it back on. They have to use a credit card to buy gas and groceries that month. Then, the interest starts piling on, and they are fined again for not having enough money. Everywhere they turn they get another fine because they are poor. When you live paycheck to paycheck, any little thing that happens is going to knock you over, and then society is going to start laying on the fines to keep you there. The rich on the otherhand, instead of being fined, get little rewards for being rich. They have so much money in their account, the banks want them to keep it there to make money on their own, so they encourage them not to touch it by giving them interest. The rich don't pay rent - they have a nest egg to plunk down on buying a house, which then gives them tax breaks. And, they can turn around and sell their house for more than they bought it and pick up a few hundred thousand dollars for it. The rich don't live paycheck to paycheck, so can invest what's left over. You have to have money to make money. If someone knows of an instance in which this is not true, please share it with me. The best way to save money is to live below your means. But, if your "means" are already at the rock bottom, how can you do this? The only way is to work around the clock.

Answer 5

Because the poor dwell on being poor and the rich are happy with their lives so they keep doing what they do to get richer and the poor stay poor because they're too busy agonizing over what they don't have.

Answer 6

Because the rich understand money and use it to work for them while the poor do not understand money and it works against them. Read Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", it is very insightful.

P.S. Bush only makes specific rich people (his friends) richer

Answer 7

Because the poor know nothing about being rich, otherwise they would be. Rich people, on the other hand, know how to keep from becoming being poor people. Ambition, in my opinion, is also an important ingredient.

Answer 8

cause bush takes all our money he like to make us poorer and the rich richer

Answer 9

when you are richer, you get motivated. the richer you are, the higher your motivation level goes. but when you are poor. you get depressed and no drive. when a person lose drive, they will never climb up again, therefore poor forever.

Answer 10

Cause the rich support Bush! and us poor bastards know better