If America is the richest country, why are people so poor in general there?

Question

Because this system is so corrupted and injustice. Very greedy.

loveslongnails · Accepted Answer

I realize this is an "opinion" web site where information is theoretically being asked for from guys, by girls, but some of the answers from people who do NO research at all is astounding. Opinions based on zero data are so very useful, aren't they? Ok, here we go, and not a WORD of this is political. This is about numbers, and facts.

For one thing, the USA is the wealthiest country per capita, but that statistic is extremely skewed because:
* it also has the most millionaires AND multi-millionaires in the world
* it also has the most BILLIONAIRES in the world - over 900 of them!

The USA is second in the world in income disparity (Chile is #1). While 12% of the population live at or below the poverty line, another 11% live just above the poverty line, for a total of 23% who are "poor or near poor".

But this is the killer stat that tells you the most:
** 67% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck
** Only 29% of Americans have $5,000 or more in their combined bank accounts
** 21% of Americans have between $100 and $500 in their combined bank accounts

What does this all tell you?

* You've got a uber-rich top 1% of the population
* A super wealthy top 5% to 2% of the population
* A "middle class" representing the top 10% to 5% of the population, with a beginning income of just $130k

So when I see idiotic comments like "American are lazy", " they don't work hard enough", "they're stupid and have low skill jobs", or "they don't want to take a second or third job", I know you've been indoctrinated to believe a bunch nonsense.

The 1% know the one thing they can NOT have in the USA is "an educated proletariat class". Well, they've accomplished that very nicely.

realbiggrin · Accepted Answer

Because they may have not had the same opertunity as their peers. Because they may have substance abuse issues, because they may. not like to work hard, because of many reasons, but this is not new this has always been the way it is. Because someone that works hard and makes the correct decisions in life is usually a good indicator of success. And someone that doesn't work hard and nakes poor decisions is also a good indicator of failure. It has much less to do with government. then it does the individual.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

Mostly it's because Americans are lazy. They constantly tell the world it's the land of opportunity where anyone with a little effort can be rich and successful. Yet despite easy access to education and training very few actually achieve the dream. The only conclusion is Americans are lazy.

Another thing to consider is the mindset towards pay. In most other countries people push for better pay but in America that's seen as communism. Americans believe they have to earn a shit wage so millionaires with shares in the company can make a profit and give Gina the waitress a dollar tip.

desidoll · Accepted Answer

I don’t think they are supposedly to be poor. Us is a very rich nation. Many of them are either lazy, spoiled or the victims of their capitalist government. When I first moved here in 2023, I didn’t really see a clearer picture of the US until the third year. Almost everything is poorly disorganised, especially the healthcare system. People are very individualistic, nobody cares about one another, lack of empathy and mental illness is very prevalent. Crimes are getting out of control too.

Spencer10 · Answer

This is a question every American should ask them selves. Why do most developed nations have less poverty and crime? They also have better health care, education and child care? The quality of life in other nations tends to be better. The gap between the haves and have nots are less. Americans like to think they are exceptional... and you are. But not in a good way compared to your allies. America is a country that works great for the people that have money... but not so great for everyone else. Americans need to stop bullying the rest of the world and maybe work on your own problems.

front2back · Answer

I do believe there are conditions out of peoples' control and an issue with wealth inequality in the country, however, most very poor people I have met had one or more of the following in common:

1. Drug abuse
2. Poor decision making / criminality
3. Simply being stupid (often genetic, unfortunately)

Basically this is what I have seen speed-run homelessness and shelter conditions. I have in my youth tried to help people in those conditions and ended up getting burned by it, which leads to people to stop helping them. There seems to be this perception that there's so many homeless just due to bad luck or external economic factors, and while that is the case for some, a large majority cannot be helped or do not want to be helped.

genericname85 · Answer

because a "country" being rich doesn't translate into "the people living there being rich". depends on how that wealth is distributed. like in order to say whether a country is rich or no, all that is typcially looked at is gdp or gdp per capita. the latter is just the gdp devided by the population, so nothing of that tells you anything about the wealth distribution in a country. if there's 10 hyper rich people in the country and litterally nobody else has money, the country would still be considered rich even though most of the people in it are poor.

Anonymous · Answer

For the same reason the country has so many billionaires, millionaires, and why the stock market is so massive. Because Americans are voracious consumers. I'm actually glad Americans are this way and it actually makes me laugh how people like Dave Ramsey continue to admonish so many people for going into deep debt trying to keep up with the joneses. Because if it wasn't for these goofballs spending every cent they earn then my portfolio as well as many others (including Dave Ramsey's) would not be as big as it is.

supercutebutt · Answer

People can be lazy but are also very susceptible to addition. So many drunks, junkies and gambling addicts. People are weak. They succumb to bullshit. It's why they voted for dumbfuck Trump. They believe in lies.

It's a good life if you don't weaken.

OneViewpoint · Answer

Capitalism only works for a relative few people at the top of an economic pyramid. The US has the most extreme form of capitalism on the planet. Our votes stopped mattering 50 years ago. The goal of the 1% is to wipe out the US middle class and replace it with a huge population of economic slaves. The 1% own the government. It's just a matter of time until we end up in a violent bloody revolution when the 99% have nothing left to lose.

blackgaletiger · Answer

“Ah the devils nest America, built by the blacks and owned by the Chinese” rings true to a degree. Cheap labour and well designed class system helps the wealth gather towards one side. The US is what I consider a second world country. First word amenities with third world ruling. Keep people poor and build on military and stocks off of those taxes collection

RavVid · Answer

The pic appears to be of a drug addict camp. Drug addicts are unwilling to spend money on anything other than drugs even though they could have housing for a very nominal amount in Australia.

The homeless will only go home when it is above 45 C or a 110 F. Above all the homeless value short commutes to work and close proximity to their dealer of choice.

jshm2 · Answer

It never was the richest country - it's the most indebted country.

Or to put it simply. Who would you say is richer. The guy with the 1 million dollar credit card, or the guy with half a million in the bank?

People will wrongly compare figures and assume it's the guy with the credit card. But they are wrong, that credit card needs to be paid back regardless of if you borrow 100 bucks or half a billion bucks.

Adam_INTJ · Answer

Americans aren't poor. They just have the most inclusive definition of poverty ever devised.

Don't make $100k? Poor! Meanwhile, people around the world are working in assembly lines for $1 a day, or worse are trying to feed themselves from farms that they work by hand.

Every adult American is filthy rich. They're just butthurt that other Americans are richer than them.

beenherebefore · Answer

I don't see the USA as the richest or a rich country at all. Whenever I go to the USA I always see homeless people way more than in other parts of the world.

Sal_Monella · Answer

On the average even America's poor people have a better lifestyle than many people on the face of the earth. I'm not talking about the homeless. That is sad. But I am talking about the people that live in the slums. Very often they have a car and a tv.

MrOracle · Answer

Those people aren't poor, they are mostly drug addicts who refuse government housing because it comes with rules. And it's mostly a problem in blue states who allow them to commit crimes to support their habits with minimal or no consequences.

David318578 · Answer

There is no perfect system. But our poor are much better off then the poor in other countries. Poor people in other countries are starving to death, but our poor that are on welfare half the time are fat as hell

AviatorTom · Answer

Most Americans are not poor. And remember, people in every country have a wide range of economics, from poor to wealthy.

lightbulb27 · Answer

the printing press has sent the money into the hands of the smartest whom know the system and take from it. Prior to the printing press, there was much larger middle class.

Miristheiss · Answer

There are a lot of fatherless kids who drop out of school and a lot who are on drugs. People who stay in school and who work hard can be very successful here.

NaultD · Answer

In 2019 top 28 people had more net worth the the bottom 50% of the population. It's been consolidated down to to less then 10 people in 2025.

CupcakeTheDestroyer · Answer

For the same reason India is one of the most poverty-stricken nations with the most expensive properties known to humanity

DonaldDarko · Answer

We're not poor, the problem is so many of us are worthless junkie trash. Those camps you see, that's not poverty that's drug addiction.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

The top 1% is holding all the riches! The lower 50% have exactly  nothing .

ABC1x1x · Answer

Per capita. So many are NOT poor. Our homeless eat so well most are fat. But to answer your question why do so many people live like that? Mental illness and stupidity. Life is hard when you are crazy and or stupid.

exitseven · Answer

There is a big issue with income inequality and sending jobs to slave labor countries has hollowed out the middle class.

Purpleronnie · Answer

There is no correlation between a rich county and rich people

FreyaRed · Answer

Wealth distribution. It's always a problem of countries which sell oil, see Venezuela. XD

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

We don't have capitalism here. We have corperate oligarchy

Anonymous · Answer

You should go work or volunteer at a homeless shelter. It would be a real eye-opener for you. There’s a lot of nice facilities for homeless people, but you can’t be drunk or high.

Anonymous · Answer

There is more opportunity to succeed in the US than anywhere else in the world. But you actually have to WORK for it and use your brain, which is apparently an insurmountable challenge for more and more Americans.

Massageman · Answer

As Aviator Tom explained, plus too many people are expecting something without putting forth any effort to earn it!!

msc545 · Answer

Because all of the 200 billionaires that live in the United States are rich billionaires, the rest of us are poor.

Twalli · Answer

The thing is that the poor here are usually better off than the lower middle class in poorer countries.

In_Trance · Answer

The country is rich because it taxes the people.  It's not corrupt: that's exactly how it's designed

Lament_ · Answer

USA is a huge country and arguably nobody has been earning on equal range of income at all. Plus, the USA isn't the richest country while there are Qatar, UAE, Monaco and Luxembourg instead.

Anonymous · Answer

Apparently, you are not American, and you think you know more than you actually do.

Filthy_Immigrant · Answer

because our country was being ran by democrats for quite a while

Mike_Hum · Answer

Because the government confiscates a large part of their paycheck and prints FIAT currency

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

The overlords' buying politicians and being allowed to swindle the 99.999999%.

berserk945 · Answer

Because the money we have stolen from us for taxes lines the pockets of corrupt politicians.

robocop666 · Answer

immigration. the people just have no job and sleep on the streets.

sage2021 · Answer

Why are you Anonymous asking this question ❓❓❓❓

slatyb · Answer

Evangelical Christianity.

loveyouoak · Answer

Because America is a capitalist country.

blackeagle007 · Answer

Affordability sucks

noohair · Answer

Where do you live?

Kingofkings1992 · Answer

You answered your own question lol

If America is the richest country, why are people so poor in general there?

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Why should rich countries have poor people?

If America is the richest country, why are people so poor in general there?

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