The Price of Civilization: Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity by Jeffrey D. Sachs
Authors: Jeffrey D. Sachs
Tags: United States, Social Science, History, Business & Economics, 21st Century, Economic Conditions, Poverty & Homelessness
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values? I think this view of a nation in a fundamental and irreconcilable divide is wrong. There is much more consensus than meets the eye.
The real issue about consensus is not whether Americans can agree on everything important to their lives—clearly the answer to that is no—but whether Americans can agree on a set of national economic policies to promote overall efficiency, fairness, and sustainability. Here, then, are some things on which Americans broadly agree.
They agree that there should be equality of opportunity for American citizens. They agree that individuals should make the maximum effort to help themselves. They agree that government should help those in real need, as long as they are also trying to help themselves. And they broadly agree that the rich should pay more intaxes. These core values can form the basis of a broad and effective consensus on the basic direction of economic policy.
In 2007, the political scientists Benjamin Page and Lawrence Jacobs found that 72 percent of Americans agreed that “differences in income are too large,” and 68 percent rejected the notion that the distribution of income and wealth is fair. 12 Large majorities agreed that government “must see that no one is without food, clothing, or shelter” (68 percent); agreed that “government should spend whatever is necessary to ensure that all children have really good public schools they can go to” (87 percent); “favor own tax dollars being used to help pay for … early childhood education in kindergarten and nursery school” (81 percent); “favor own tax dollars being used to help pay for retraining programs for people whose jobs have been eliminated” (80 percent); and agreed that “it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure that all Americans have health care coverage” (73 percent). 13
In the Page and Jacobs data, no less than 95 percent agreed with the general principle that “one should always find ways to help others less fortunate than oneself.” The proportion agreeing with the proposition that government “should redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich” climbed from 35 percent in 1939 to 45 percent in 1998 to 56 percent in 2007. It is plausible that the realities of America’s massive increase in income inequality have contributed to the rising sentiment for redistributive taxation.
Such egalitarian views have recently been confirmed in surveys by the Pew Research Center. 14 Eighty-seven percent agreed that “our society should do what is necessary to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.” Sixty-three percent concurred that “it is the responsibility of government to take care of people who can’t take care of themselves.” Yet, as always, primary responsibility in America is pushed back to the individual. Only 32 percent agreed that “success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside of our control,” and only 33 percent subscribed tothe view that “hard work offers little guarantee of success.” In the American ethos, the government should help when necessary, but the individual can and should remain the principal author of his or her own fate.
The flip side of the view supporting public responsibility toward the poor is an equally strong consensus that big business has been allowed to run away with the prize. Though the public overwhelmingly recognizes the importance of private business to the economy, it also overwhelmingly concurs that “there is too much power concentrated in the hands of a few big businesses” (77 to 21 percent in April 2009) and that “business corporations make too much profit” (62 to 33 percent in April 2009). 15 There is also a consistent public majority in favor of raising tax rates on the rich.
Surveys have also shown a continuing high importance accorded to the natural environment. Americans are environmentally conscious, even if their federal government is not. In the Pew survey, 83
The real issue about consensus is not whether Americans can agree on everything important to their lives—clearly the answer to that is no—but whether Americans can agree on a set of national economic policies to promote overall efficiency, fairness, and sustainability. Here, then, are some things on which Americans broadly agree.
They agree that there should be equality of opportunity for American citizens. They agree that individuals should make the maximum effort to help themselves. They agree that government should help those in real need, as long as they are also trying to help themselves. And they broadly agree that the rich should pay more intaxes. These core values can form the basis of a broad and effective consensus on the basic direction of economic policy.
In 2007, the political scientists Benjamin Page and Lawrence Jacobs found that 72 percent of Americans agreed that “differences in income are too large,” and 68 percent rejected the notion that the distribution of income and wealth is fair. 12 Large majorities agreed that government “must see that no one is without food, clothing, or shelter” (68 percent); agreed that “government should spend whatever is necessary to ensure that all children have really good public schools they can go to” (87 percent); “favor own tax dollars being used to help pay for … early childhood education in kindergarten and nursery school” (81 percent); “favor own tax dollars being used to help pay for retraining programs for people whose jobs have been eliminated” (80 percent); and agreed that “it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure that all Americans have health care coverage” (73 percent). 13
In the Page and Jacobs data, no less than 95 percent agreed with the general principle that “one should always find ways to help others less fortunate than oneself.” The proportion agreeing with the proposition that government “should redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich” climbed from 35 percent in 1939 to 45 percent in 1998 to 56 percent in 2007. It is plausible that the realities of America’s massive increase in income inequality have contributed to the rising sentiment for redistributive taxation.
Such egalitarian views have recently been confirmed in surveys by the Pew Research Center. 14 Eighty-seven percent agreed that “our society should do what is necessary to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.” Sixty-three percent concurred that “it is the responsibility of government to take care of people who can’t take care of themselves.” Yet, as always, primary responsibility in America is pushed back to the individual. Only 32 percent agreed that “success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside of our control,” and only 33 percent subscribed tothe view that “hard work offers little guarantee of success.” In the American ethos, the government should help when necessary, but the individual can and should remain the principal author of his or her own fate.
The flip side of the view supporting public responsibility toward the poor is an equally strong consensus that big business has been allowed to run away with the prize. Though the public overwhelmingly recognizes the importance of private business to the economy, it also overwhelmingly concurs that “there is too much power concentrated in the hands of a few big businesses” (77 to 21 percent in April 2009) and that “business corporations make too much profit” (62 to 33 percent in April 2009). 15 There is also a consistent public majority in favor of raising tax rates on the rich.
Surveys have also shown a continuing high importance accorded to the natural environment. Americans are environmentally conscious, even if their federal government is not. In the Pew survey, 83
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