Redistribution has very little effect on growth except at extreme levels.[0]<p>Over the last 20 years the U.S. economy has grown 25% but the income for the bottom quintile has stagnated.[1][2]<p>I would agree growth is probably the best medicine for the third world but the IMF shows it&#x27;s not at odds with redistribution.<p>I would strongly disagree that we can solve poverty in the 1st world using growth.  We have two options for replacing the $7,000 the bottom quintile missed out on in the last 20 years because of rising inequality. We could redistribute $7,000 to the bottom quintile or grow by 25%.  Redistributing $7,000 is doable.  I don&#x27;t know of any policies, or even any set of policies that would increase the size of the economy by 25%.  This is even more insurmountable given that in recent history the gains from growth have not been distributed equitably.   We would need to see an order of magnitude more growth, an increase in the economy of 250%-500% before the poor would be substantially better off.<p>[0] - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.imf.org&#x2F;external&#x2F;pubs&#x2F;ft&#x2F;sdn&#x2F;2014&#x2F;sdn1402.pdf" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.imf.org&#x2F;external&#x2F;pubs&#x2F;ft&#x2F;sdn&#x2F;2014&#x2F;sdn1402.pdf</a>
[1] - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;research.stlouisfed.org&#x2F;fred2&#x2F;series&#x2F;A939RX0Q048SBEA" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;research.stlouisfed.org&#x2F;fred2&#x2F;series&#x2F;A939RX0Q048SBEA</a>
[2] - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.census.gov&#x2F;hhes&#x2F;www&#x2F;income&#x2F;data&#x2F;historical&#x2F;families&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.census.gov&#x2F;hhes&#x2F;www&#x2F;income&#x2F;data&#x2F;historical&#x2F;famil...</a>