Both are 'original colony' states. (13 original colonies) (click here)
Under the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the category of "All Occupations": (click title to entry - thank you)
Massachusetts "Mean Hourly Wage" is $20.13. (click here)
South Carolina "Mean Hourly Wage" is $14.33 (click here)
Through the centuries Massachusetts invested in the future with interventions of government. They built their reputations, their sustainability as a community and the expertise of their labor force through infrastructure investment. Not necessarily roads and bridges infrastructure, but, education and strengthening the social net for citizens to be uplifted by their investments.
The educational system in Massachusetts surpasses many in the nation, but, that is especially true of the impoverished Bible Belt. The South.
Historically, the two states are very, very different and I won't beleaguer the point, but, destroying the social safety net in South Carolina served the wealthy while abandoning the poor. That is the truth about conservative principles. The wealth serves the wealthy because they can more efficiently spend monies normally assigned to 'the common good' on expanding their wealth.
And at the same time, the impoverished are eternally grateful for the crumbs tossed to them from the wealthy in any expansion that requires human labor. Not that labor practices were the best, but, the fact that the poor now had 'something' rather than 'nothing' was viewed as a real economic boom for them. Equity of 'quality of life' doesn't matter when 'life itself' is based completely in capitalism. So, to remain alive and have 'some' quality is better than none.
The 'endearment' of poverty to the citizens makes for 'a good habit' as 'righteous people' are always grateful for their life on Earth until they are delivered. Simple life, for simple folks. No education required, just a strong back.
The economic histories of the two states are as varied as their chronological histories. Those histories have delivered very, very different citizens with very different value systems and very different desperation for 'any' life vs 'quality' of life. That is the paradigm the unions run into in the Bible Belt. Employees are estranged from empowerment and only rely on their ability to deliver 'a product' no matter what that product might be. So, income is 'nice' but other 'substandard' practices in business means there are 'items' such as houses, clothing (imports) and furniture available for the purchase.
The average conservative citizen is exposed to 'cheapened' lives in order to 'have life.'
It is a lot to realize that Progressives, Liberals and whatever name anyone wants to attach to those that value 'all boats rising' in eqivalent 'esteem' based on 'a minimum of quality;' that may not be 'business OPPORTUNISTIC' and exploitative; actually have sounds values and historical proof about why government 'of, by and for' the people really works.
