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9798990623651.jpg

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Inequality by Design: How a Rigged Economy Fractures America and What We Can Do About It addresses a critical question for all Americans: What if the rules of our economy are designed to only benefit the wealthiest Americans? Written by economist Dr. Ryan Mattson and Ben Johnson, the book argues against the insidious myth of American meritocracy, which wrongly implies that hard-working Americans are moral failures. The authors call on voters, associations, unions, business leaders, civic organizations, churches, policymakers, and local and national politicians to work together to change the rules and create a better future for all Americans.

Shipping Only to US Customers.

Outside the US? Please use your preferred online retail bookstore.

Copyright 2025

Paperback | 258 pages

ISBN Print: 9798990623644

ISBN Ebook: 9798990623651

Library of Congress Control Number: 2025933948

Inequality by Design: How a Rigged Economy Fractures America and What We Can Do About It addresses a critical question for all Americans: What if the rules of our economy are designed to only benefit the wealthiest Americans? Written by economist Dr. Ryan Mattson and Ben Johnson, the book argues against the insidious myth of American meritocracy, which wrongly implies that hard-working Americans are moral failures. The authors call on voters, associations, unions, business leaders, civic organizations, churches, policymakers, and local and national politicians to work together to change the rules and create a better future for all Americans.

Shipping Only to US Customers.

Outside the US? Please use your preferred online retail bookstore.

Copyright 2025

Paperback | 258 pages

ISBN Print: 9798990623644

ISBN Ebook: 9798990623651

Library of Congress Control Number: 2025933948

Additional Purchase links

Bookshop.org
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Table of contents

  1. A Tale of Three High School Graduates

  2. Measuring Our Economic Malaise

  3. Build Your Wealth! Buy a House!

  4. Birth, Death, and Taxes

  5. Hit the Books, Dummy!

  6. Technology Will Save Us!

  7. The Cooperative Ownership Solution

  8. If It Is Broke, Fix It

  9. Historical Maladies

  10. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Epilogue | Acknowledgements | Endnotes | Index

What People are saying

  • Robin E. Johnson, MD, MPH, Emergency Medicine, Public Health, Community Advocate and Educator

    “The timing of this book could not be more critical as current events and policies of the past increase economic divides in America. The text is conversational, making it approachable no matter your expertise in economics, social structures, or policy. This is a must read for anyone hoping to influence healing in America. As Mattson and Johnson conclude, ‘We truly are all in this together.’”

  • Mike Rasmussen, MA, Community Leader and Small Business Owner

    “Mattson and Johnson paint a very clear picture of the economic, political, and social crossroads that we find ourselves in today, weaving history, economics, and storytelling together to make an approachable and informative glimpse of our American times. [The authors] provide concrete ways we can address the growing inequality in our system before it reaches a point of no return.”

About the Authors

  • Dr. Ryan Mattson

    COAUTHOR

    Dr. Mattson has a PhD in economics from the University of Kansas. His research has focused on macroeconomic measures, inflation, and monetary policy. He lives in Kansas with his wife and children.

  • Ben Johnson

    COAUTHOR

    Ben Johnson is a writer whose academic work includes public administration at the University of Delaware, and degrees in Russian language and international relations from the University of Oklahoma. As an emergency medical technician in Wilmington, Delaware, he gained direct insights into the lives of the poorest Americans. Johnson lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with his wife and children.