It isn't about how generous or non generous a society or individuals are (and an external observer must appreciate the almost unique private generosity of many rich individuals in the US). it's not about how much tax you pay.

It's about how people BELIEVE their position in life, and what they can achieve, or NOT achieve.

There seems to be a pervasive "feeling" in the USA that if you're poor or black, or otherwise disadvantaged, then you will ALWAYS be in that state. The sad, sad thing is that people on both sides of the line believe it.

Poor, disadvantaged people think they can't climb out of that pit, and rich people *know* that poor people can't climb.

For a so-called egalitarian society, the USA is actually the most class-ridden caste-based society on Earth, outside of India...