A TALE OF TWO NATIONS

The USA is the most developed capitalist nation in the world and it has some of the richest people in the world. It also has some people desperately poor. "Nearly 15% of the U.S. population relied on food stamps in August, as the number of recipients hit 45.8 million. Food stamp rolls have risen 8.1% in the past year, the Department of Agriculture reported, though the pace of growth has slowed from the depths of the recession. .... Mississippi reported the largest share of its population relying on food stamps, more than 21%. One in five residents in New Mexico, Tennessee, Oregon and Louisiana also were food stamp recipients. (Wall Street Journal, 1 November) This gap between rich and poor is not unique to the USA. It is a worldwide feature of capitalism. RD