Um, I could not disagree more about your causes for the wealth gap crisis. Handouts don't widen the wealth gap, how could it?

I am not sure how to explain it in words, but will try. Remembering that there are many factors involved, but I will simplify my view a bit.

Taxpayer earns 100 dollars, pays 30 in tax.
Government pays 10 dollars as a handout.
Recipient can't do anything other than pay living expenses.
That 10 dollars goes wholly to the rental owners, corporations, debt service.

And then...

The wealth gap exists because there are way too many loopholes that wealthy people and corporations use to hide their money or avoid paying taxes.

The owners, corporations and debt financers pay 10% in tax (they never pay the full rate and it can be as low as 2% in some cases) while their employees pay 30% and keep the cycle going.

Increased productivity, for example through automation, increases profits for the corporations, lowers the money going to government through income tax. This profit is then used to own more and rent seek, or benefit from those who can't afford alternatives.

It is not just the handout, it is the whole system. However, the handout can be enough to "survive" but not enough to own and generate wealth. This is simplified, but it is a slow bleed through a widening wound, meaning it is quickening.

You don't need handouts if people are actually getting paid fairly for the revenue they are generating.

This is correct. It is like the tipping culture in the US - people work for tips, when what they should be working for is a living wage. In places like Finland where tipping culture doesn't exist, there is also far more balance in wealth. If you run a successful business, it shouldn't be because you don't pay your employees well enough.

Ownership is the solution to improve wealth distribution. Paying money isn't enough, people need to be invested into businesses that generate money too. But, we also live in a consumer world, so even when people have the opportunity to invest, most don't and rather spend on something unneeded - which drives those profits even higher.

As consumers of the economy, we need to demand a better economy and if that isn't legislated (coded), then it needs to be dumped and devalued, with wealth instead being generated elsewhere. That is what we are playing around with on Hive. It isn't perfect by any shot, but it is better than the traditional alternative and it is getting better.