An economic measurement that compares corporate profits to employee compensation has hit the highest on record back to the end of World War II, further underscoring widespread discontent among all kinds of Americans.
The chart below, produced by KPMG economist Diane Swonk, shows the percent of gross domestic product represented by corporate profits, versus the amount that accrues to workers' wages. It’s a stark visual similar to the "K-shaped" economy, which shows the fortunes of "haves" heading up and those of the "have-nots" cratering.
The past few decades "have really not been great for workers," Swonk said in an interview with USA TODAY, noting that "it’s gotten progressively worse. You do get to these tipping points."
It’s a question she wrestles with, she said, because official data seem to paint a picture of a reasonably healthy economy, even as measures of confidence plunge and Americans feel increasingly divided and, in many cases, bitter.
Does the U.S. have a 'K-shaped economy'? What it means for you.
