re: Is one major cause of wealth disparity a poor rate of return on social security?

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Do you have another?

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You can't simply look at prices for inflation, you have to look at value.

It used to be that 'durable goods' were durable. Not so much any more.

So a refrigerator that may have gone for $100 in 1970 may have lasted you a lifetime, whereas a refrigerator you buy today for $1,000 may only last 20 years so that you end up having to buy two refrigerators these days for $2,000 rather than 1 for $100.

Value isn't considered in inflation numbers.

And that's just one example of how inflation numbers don't tell the whole story about price increases. The numbers can also be kept down by skewing the total with a bunch of cheap consumer crap that no one needs, while necessities may be increasing at a rate above the average. Health care for example.