"Proportionally, the Americans imprison more than twice as many as the South Africans, more than three times as many as the Iranians, and more than six times as many as the Chinese. No society in history has imprisoned more of its citizens than the United States of America. […] One in thirty men aged 20 to 34 is behind bars. But for black males that’s one in nine. There are more 17-year-old black people in jail than in college in America.
5% of the world is American. 25% of world prisoners are American.
You could almost say, if you were so minded, that they’ve reinvented the slave trade. They produce, for example, 100% of all military helmets, ammunition belts, bulletproof vests, I.D. tags, and other items for uniform, 93% of domestically produced paints, 36% of home appliances, 21% of office furniture, which allows the United States to compete with factories in Mexico."
5% of the world is American. 25% of world prisoners are American.
You could almost say, if you were so minded, that they’ve reinvented the slave trade. They produce, for example, 100% of all military helmets, ammunition belts, bulletproof vests, I.D. tags, and other items for uniform, 93% of domestically produced paints, 36% of home appliances, 21% of office furniture, which allows the United States to compete with factories in Mexico."
— Stephen Fry on QI (via adecentfellow)
