The Conversations That Matter series held a film screening in order to draw attention to class inequality. This event was the last of the series for Fall 2015.

Dozens of students attended the screening of the 2013 film, “Inequality For All,” narrated by former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, on Nov. 10 in USU 2300.

The film confronted the concerns over the financial inequality between the upper and middle class, addressing the notion that 400 of the richest Americans own more wealth than half of the American population.

In the film, Reich addresses how financial inequality threatens democracy by putting government control into the hands of those with money.

“With money comes the power to control politics,” Reich said.

After the film, a table was held for Dr. Peter Brownell, Research Director at the Center of Policy Initiatives with a PhD in Sociology from UC Berkeley. Brownell produces research on poverty rates and income levels from the census to note where the American economy stands.

“The latest job numbers suggest that we might be getting back there in terms of starting to see some income growth, but it’s slow to recover,” said Brownell. “It’s a need to address at the national, state and the local level.”

The film noted that consumer spending is 70 percent of the American economy and that the middle class makes up the majority of these consumers. The film also expressed the importance of the financial stability of the middle class for the American economy.

“The bottom line with growing income inequality is that more and more of what gets produced goes to the folks at the top and the folks who are doing what is necessary for that production are getting less of it,” said Brownell.