I don't think the answers are at all obvious, but some elements are clear. First of all, in this modern economy, there does seem to be a very high payoff to education, particularly preschool and grade school education. Education will pay off both in terms of reducing inequality and in terms of increasing the productivity of the whole labor force. But some of the problems are more difficult and relate to the nature of family arrangements. One of the things that has hurt the poor is the dissolution of stable families.
Marriage is really good economically.
People who are married do much better than those who are not, whether they are young or old. We also have to deal with the need for affordable child care among the poor. Its cost greatly inhibits single parents who want to work. A lot has been said. But I have the very strong feeling that people don't truly understand the quantitative magnitude of what is about to happen to us.