Plotnick R D
Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Int J Health Serv. 1993;23(2):347-58. doi: 10.2190/H95U-EX9E-QPM2-XA94.
The record of economic well-being in the 1980s belied Reagan's claim that Americans would be better off if they scaled back the welfare state and cut tax rates. Though the standard of living rose, its growth was no faster than during 1950-1980. Income inequality increased. The rate of poverty at the end of Reagan's term was the same as in 1980. Cutbacks in income transfers during the Reagan years helped increase both poverty and inequality. Changes in tax policy helped increase inequality but reduced poverty. These policy shifts are not the only reasons for the lack of progress against poverty and the rise in inequality. Broad social and economic factors have been widening income differences and making it harder for families to stay out of poverty. Policy choices during the Reagan Administration reinforced those factors.
20世纪80年代的经济福祉记录证明里根的说法是错误的，即如果美国人缩减福利国家规模并降低税率，他们的生活会变得更好。尽管生活水平有所提高，但其增长速度并不比1950年至1980年期间更快。收入不平等加剧。里根任期结束时的贫困率与1980年相同。里根执政期间收入转移的削减加剧了贫困和不平等。税收政策的变化加剧了不平等，但减少了贫困。这些政策转变并不是在消除贫困方面缺乏进展和不平等加剧的唯一原因。广泛的社会和经济因素一直在扩大收入差距，使家庭更难摆脱贫困。里根政府期间的政策选择强化了这些因素。
