The Gap essays

The Gap essays In Canada, the United States and Britain there is an increasing gap between the rich and the poor. The gap has become so large that the richest 1% of Americans holds 42% of its nations wealth. Similarly the richest 1% in Canada holds 25%, and in Britain they hold 18% of the nations wealth. This huge inequality causes many problems in the economy. The poverty and homelessness rate are on the rise. In London there are more than 100 000 homeless people. The per capita is the same for most American cities. Canada isnt quite as bad, although the poverty rate has risen more in the last few years than the U.S. and Britain. Now nearly one in five Canadians live below the poverty line. The gap has caused almost a two tier effects to our society. The rich have begun living in closed in communities where healthcare and other necessities are paid for. The healthcare system has also changed because of the gap. The richest receive healthcare faster because they are able to go to the healthcare and pay for it themselves. This can be a problem in countries like the U.S. that has a healthcare system hinged on insurance rather than government health coverage. Some may not be able to pay for the proper insurance for necessary medical treatments. In respects to education the rich can afford to send their children to university and private schools. 76% of those who get B.A. degrees come from families in the top quarter for earnings. Also, less than 4% of those coming from families in the bottom quarter earn degrees at university. This means that lower income families are just not receiving the same opportunities as the rich. As this cycle continues it leaves more and more people with high school educations that are not going to get jobs with good incomes. This widens the gap; it is also hurtful to the moral of those with lower incomes. The gap is continuously getting bigger. We need to look at Euro ...