target="_blank">report states</a>: "[T]he birth lottery matters more in the U.S.
than in most well-off countries." </p>
<p> But this wasn't the only finding that suggests the U.S. isn't quite living up to its
reputation as a country where everyone has an equal chance to get ahead through sheer
will and hard work. </p>
<p>
<ahref="http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/11/news/economy/rich-taxes/index.html?iid=EL"><span>Related: Rich are paying more in taxes but not as much as they used to</span></a>
</p>
<p> The report also suggested the U.S. might not be the "jobs machine" it thinks it is, when
compared to other countries. </p>
<p> It ranked near the bottom of the pack based on the levels of unemployment among men and
women of prime working age. The study determined this by taking the ratio of employed
men and women between the ages of 25 and 54 compared to the total population of each
country. </p>
<p> The overall rankings of the countries were as
follows:<span><br/>1. Finland <span><br/>2. Norway<span><br/>3. Australia <span><br/>4. Canada<span><br/>5. Germany<span><br/>6. France<span><br/>7. United Kingdom <span><br/>8. Italy<span><br/>9. Spain<span><br/>10. United States </span></span>
<p> The low ranking the U.S. received was due to its extreme levels of wealth and income
inequality and the ineffectiveness of its "safety net" -- social programs aimed at
reducing poverty. </p>
<p>
<ahref="http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/05/news/economy/chicago-segregated/index.html?iid=EL"><span>Related: Chicago is America's most segregated city</span></a>
</p>
<p> The report concluded that the American safety net was ineffective because it provides
only half the financial help people need. Additionally, the levels of assistance in the
U.S. are generally lower than in other countries. </p>
<p><span> CNNMoney (New York) </span>
<span>First published February 1, 2016: 1:28 AM ET</span></p>