Er....other way round possibly LadyM..in real terms people were poorer in 1950 but inequalities less, education is the cause...whatever way you look at it I think well meant but ill thought out socialist engineering towards the goal of 'equality' in education wrecked the education for the among very poorest and especially the brightest among them. Thus we need to be very carefull with this loose, ill defined, 'progressive', value full mantra 'equality'....but idealism over practicaility always looks so much 'better'/nicers, etc whatever its effects ....*sighs. *see also overspending on worthy, decent projects/goals that you can't afford and bankrupting onesself