&gt; It&#x27;s questionable whether a) there is growing inequality<p>I am wondering if your talking about UK and not US? In US it is not questionable the gaps are certainly greater.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cbpp.org&#x2F;research&#x2F;poverty-and-inequality&#x2F;a-guide-to-statistics-on-historical-trends-in-income-inequality" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cbpp.org&#x2F;research&#x2F;poverty-and-inequality&#x2F;a-guide-...</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.washingtonpost.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;wonk&#x2F;wp&#x2F;2015&#x2F;05&#x2F;21&#x2F;the-top-10-of-americans-own-76-of-the-stuff-and-its-dragging-our-economy-down&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.washingtonpost.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;wonk&#x2F;wp&#x2F;2015&#x2F;05&#x2F;21&#x2F;the-t...</a><p>&gt; b) more equal times (eg the 70s in the UK) were preferable for anyone.  (Soft science?)<p>In terms of poverty we could certainly do MUCH better.<a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nytimes.com&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;05&#x2F;business&#x2F;50-years-later-war-on-poverty-is-a-mixed-bag.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nytimes.com&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;05&#x2F;business&#x2F;50-years-later-wa...</a><p>In terms of working middle class. Does anyone even have a pension anymore? 401K are not pensions and well it is scary. Also the rate of pay has stayed stable despite to record profits. <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;monthlyreview.org&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;01&#x2F;the-plight-of-the-u-s-working-class&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;monthlyreview.org&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;01&#x2F;the-plight-of-the-u-s-wo...</a>