How to Fix the Wealth Gap: Market vs. Government Solutions

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This educational video explores the complex issue of income inequality through the fictional town of "Marketville," contrasting the lives of wealthy and struggling residents. It provides a balanced examination of potential solutions, categorized into market-based strategies (like equal pay policies, employee training, and social impact investing) and government-based interventions (such as minimum wage laws, Universal Basic Income, and progressive taxation). The video breaks down economic concepts like "regressive" versus "progressive" taxes, the function of NGOs, and the debate surrounding government involvement in the economy. It uses clear visual metaphors, such as balancing scales and receipt breakdowns, to explain how different policies affect individuals across the income spectrum. Ideal for high school economics and civics classrooms, this resource encourages critical thinking by presenting arguments for and against various approaches. It features built-in pause points with reflection questions, asking students to adopt different perspectives and predict arguments, making it a ready-to-use tool for sparking classroom debate and deeper understanding of economic policy.