Getting Ahead Economic and Social Mobility in America

Much has been written in recent years about the growing gap between rich and poor in America. Although alarming to many, it is impossible to judge whether any income distribution is good or bad without knowing what produced it. Adapted in part from the "Opportunity in America" series of policy briefs, this volume goes beyond the statistics of inequality to focus on the fundamental processes that influence who succeeds and who fails. The authors examine income mobility within and between generations, the oft-discussed "underclass, " and the influence of education and family background on income level. They look at how American philosophy and public policy has affected the gap, and the implications of

these factors in attempts to open up opportunities for the less fortunate.