打工人的悲歌：为什么普通美国人在财富上落伍了？

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the growing disparity between ordinary workers and capital holders in wealth accumulation, emphasizing that relying solely on labor income is increasingly insufficient to keep pace with capital appreciation. Group 1: Economic Changes and Wealth Disparity - The gap between ordinary workers and capital holders has expanded significantly, with a 7.8 times difference in wealth accumulation [2][3]. - The long-term low interest rate policies and monetary easing have inflated asset prices without significantly increasing wages, leading to a situation where nominal wealth rises but purchasing power diminishes for wage earners [5][7][8]. - The return on capital has accelerated, with capital returns typically outpacing economic growth and wage growth over the long term [9][10][11]. Group 2: Impact of Compounding and Technology - The power of compounding favors asset holders, with an investment of $10,000 in the S&P 500 in 1971 potentially growing to approximately $1.7 million by 2024, compared to a mere $55,000 if saved as wages [15][16][17]. - Technological advancements have created significant wealth but have also widened the wealth gap, benefiting high-skilled workers while adversely affecting low-skilled laborers [18][19][20][21][22]. Group 3: Industry and Globalization Effects - High-return industries like technology and finance have exacerbated wealth accumulation disparities compared to traditional sectors [23][24]. - Globalization has suppressed wage growth for ordinary workers in developed countries due to competition from lower-cost labor markets, further diminishing their bargaining power [25]. Group 4: Barriers to Wealth Accumulation - The efficiency of converting labor income into passive income has decreased, with the required market value of the S&P 500 to replace annual salary rising from 25 times in 1971 to 33 times in 2024 [26][27][28]. - The path to financial freedom has become longer and more challenging, necessitating a dual approach of earning both wage and capital income [30][32].