Thomas Piketty on the inequality of public spending

The video discusses the income disparity among Harvard students, highlighting that the average income of their parents aligns with the top 2% of US family incomes. It critiques the gap between the ideal of meritocracy and the reality of educational inequality, pointing out the hypocrisy of elites in both the US and France. The speaker calls for greater transparency in public spending to address these inequalities.

What is the average income level of parents of Harvard undergraduates compared to the US income distribution?

• Top 10%

• Top 5%

• Top 1%

• Top 2%

What does the speaker suggest about the representation of students from different income brackets at Harvard?

• Most students come from the bottom 50%

• A significant number come from below the top 2%

• Few students come from below the top 2%

• All students are from the top 1%

What is highlighted as a major issue in the discourse of meritocracy and equal opportunity in the US?

• The high number of international students

• The lack of elite schools

• The abundance of scholarships

• The gap between ideals and reality

How does the speaker describe the allocation of public resources in France?

• Equally distributed among all schools

• More resources to top schools attended by the elite

• Less resources to top schools

• No public resources for education

What does the speaker propose to address inequality in public spending?

• Increase taxes on the wealthy

• Limit the number of elite schools

• Reduce tuition fees

• Enhance transparency and public scrutiny