Others blame changes in our social fabric. For example, a rise in single-parent families keeps some households locked in poverty, while a phenomenon called assortative mating, men and women seeking partners from similar social classes, has tightened the ranks of the wealthy.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development contends that neither globalization nor changes in family structure are the main culprits. It identifies rapid technological change and the deregulation of job markets as the factors. Thus, the O.E.C.D. says job creation must be accompanied with investment in education.
