China’s three-decade campaign to end extreme poverty was successful on a historic scale. Nearly a billion people left survival-level living conditions behind.
Meanwhile, extreme poverty in the United States has grown. More than 4 million Americans now live on less than $3 a day, despite the nation’s unparalleled wealth.
American productivity outperforms most of the world, yet the benefits remain heavily concentrated among the wealthiest.
The poorest Americans earn a national income share comparable to low-income nations, highlighting deep structural inequality.
Cuts to essential public services, healthcare support, and nutrition programs—along with tariff policies—have created additional barriers for low-income families. Inequality in the U.S. persists by political design, not by accident.