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Graphic Truth: The Bootstrap Index

One way to measure inequality is to look at how easy it is for those at the bottom of the social ladder to climb their way up—to, as we would say in the US, “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” A new report from the OECD does just that, identifying the number of generations it would take those born into low-income families to approach the average income in their society. Here’s a look at how 15 countries stack up.

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