Why is economic inequality the status quo?

The length of our lives is tied to the amount of money we make. The link between health and wealth is well established, and it can have a staggering impact on the actual number of years a person lives. For example, in the United States, wealthy people can live up to 14 years longer than impoverished ones. This gap seems especially stark when compared to the number of years gained by eliminating all forms of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control—only three.