From the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the U. S. has seen a pattern repeated over and over again: when crises strike, the wealthy win, they suffer less, they benefit more from government bailouts, and their wealth recovers more quickly. When the crisis is over, the rich tend to get richer and the poor poorer. Last year, some Western economists used the "K" word to describe this American phenomenon. The upper part of the right hand of the "K" character describes the rapid recovery of wealth of wealthy groups after the impact of the epidemic. The next stroke on the right part of the "K" character refers to the long-term financial plight of the poor due to the impact of .