The United States has one of the world’s worst rates of infant mortality, teenage pregnancy and child poverty among capitalist countries, according to a new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The United States spends more per child on those ranging from 12 to 17, with poorer results than countries like Japan, Switzerland and the Netherlands. However, spending on children under six, a period key to development, lags far behind other countries. The United States spends on average $20,000 per child, while other capitalist countries spend an average of $10,000 more.
The U.S. rate of child poverty, 21.6 percent, is nearly double the OECD average. The U.S. government’s neglect of working-class children has led to an infant mortality rate that is the fourth-worst in the OECD. In educational achievement, U.S. 15-year-olds rank seventh to last.
With more than enough resources to ensure every child access to health care, education and housing, the U.S. capitalist system prioritizes profits over the needs of people. It deprives the youngest and most vulnerable of basic necessities.
