So the things needed to fulfill Maslow’s hierarchy are infinite? It seems to me that your main point here is that there is enough to go around for everyone, no matter how much might be claimed by some, others can always improve their lot through basic gumption?
Again though, to turn this question around- is the issue taking $100 away from the millionaire to give to those with $10? Or is the issue those with with $1,000,000 taking $100 away from those with $10?
As for education, I’ll point to a few articles on the subject, but the short answer is “Education is not a cure for poverty.” This is not an opinion, it is an extended view of what the statistics actually say.
By 2014, the “less than high school” poverty rate had increased 3.7 points. The “high school” poverty rate increased 4.6 points. “Some college” went up 4.1 points, “associate” went up 3.8 points, “bachelor’s” went up 2.1 points, and “post-bachelor’s” went up 1.7. Despite the educational gains, overall adult poverty in 2014 was actually 1.1 points higher than in 1991.
Additionally, James Galbraith has done excellent work addressing skill-bias in regards to economic outcomes/inequality
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/g/galbraith-unequal.html?mcubz=2
In sum, micro economic postulates about an individual going to trade school and acquiring a skill from which they might individually enjoy a better-paid career say nothing to the macro economic effects of people going to school, at all. An answer to the individual is not the answer for the masses.
