Wages in the United States dropped to 43 per cent of national income and have been low since the Great Depression

United States wages fell to 43 per cent of national income in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest level since the Great Depression. Some attributed this to the fact that Nixon cut off the final link between the United States dollar and gold in 1971. Despite the decline in wage levels, United States workers have increased their wages and salaries by 3.2 per cent over the past 12 months. According to the Economic Policy Institute, productivity has increased by 93.2 per cent since the end of 1979, while hourly wages have increased by only 33.7 per cent. This indicates that, despite significant increases in worker productivity, wage growth has not kept pace。