Inequality: A tale of three countries

In Singapore and China, though inequality rose, upward mobility has been strong - but in the US, while inequality did not rise as fast, the lot of the poor got worse. This holds a lesson for policymakers.

Homeless people on the streets of Los Angeles, California, earlier this month. Between 2000 and 2010, the poor in America became, in absolute terms, even poorer, the writer says. PHOTO: AFP
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During the coronavirus pandemic, a poignant global narrative on inequality has been told. Rich families have had a good pandemic. They found it easy to navigate circuit breakers and lockdowns as they could afford the space and technology for parents to work from home.

In contrast, low-paid physical labourers could not work when they were told to stay home.

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