If All the Wealth in the U.S. Were Distributed Fairly to All the People, How Much Would You Have?

Maybe more than you think

The lion never lies down with the lamb — image created by me in Gemini

There are 1,700 articles on Medium about wealth inequality. If I had to sum them all up, what I’d write would be: “Wealth inequality is bad and getting worse. Here’s why.” followed by a myriad of reasons, all valid.

I think I’m the only writer on Medium ever to ask, not why the lion devours the lamb, but what if he didn’t? How much money would you have right now if the distribution of wealth in the U.S. were fair?

First, we have to define some things (not everybody likes reading a dictionary, so I’ll try to write creatively):

“Wealth” is net wealth, which includes all your cash and money in the bank plus your “assets” minus your “debts.”

Your assets are what you own, like your house, car, and TV. If you’re a billionaire, your assets may also include entire islands and exclusive neighborhoods in various cities; billion-dollar mansions, chateaus, villas, and haciendas; perhaps a Mercedes-Benz or Lamborghini; maybe a football team and a rocket or two; and, of course, that signature yacht.

Usually, debt is subtracted from wealth to get “net wealth.” Or, that’s the way it works for you. For the U.S., sadly, the debt…