“While they flail for an answer, point out that the poorest standards of living are always found where the gap between riches and poorest is the smallest. The best standards of living are where the gap between richest and poorest is the widest.”
Thank you all for responding.
I also think... if they are screaming about this gap - (and you bring up a wonderful point about the USA having the fattest poor people in the world)...
Why do they think that this GAP is a bad thing. If you are advocating for no gap at all didn’t you pretty much just out yourself as a communist looking for this “communal wealth” to be distributed simply because some have more and some have less?
I always ask first - “do you consider yourself a socialist?”
Leftists usually deny that they are socialists, and are insulted at the insinuation.
Then, I ask them by what means they intend to “right” the “problem” of the wealth gap. If it’s through government, you’re a socialist at least, if not an outright communist.
Sure, but invert that point, and it's more effective. Many young people these days don't understand enough about history to get the 'communism is poverty' angle.
Instead, ask them what their desired end state is by spreading the wealth. Is it so that poor people have a better life? Bigger houses? Nicer cars? Better medicine?
If that's what they want, then shake their hand and welcome them to the capitalist fold. It's where lots of very rich people with competing good products seek to make their customers happy by tending to their physical needs.
When they look puzzled, ask, or did you want everything to be fair instead? What if we spread around all the money from the people who were making products, hiring workers and inventing things, and spread to people who don't make products, hire workers, or invent things? What are those people going to do with money when there's nothing to buy? Sit around with the formerly rich, and burn it for warmth?
When societal wealth is equal, it's because it flatlined.