Outgoing US President Barack Obama has used his farewell speech to warn that the country’s growing economic inequality and racial tensions pose a major threat to American democracy.
Obama issued the warning as he said goodbye to the nation on Tuesday at the McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, the same place where he gave his presidential victory speech in 2008.
His farewell speech came following one of the most divisive presidential elections in US history and a deep sense that the poisonous political environment has set Americans against each other.
Obama called on Americans to work together to protect democracy in their country and make it work. “Democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted,” he said.
The outgoing president also warned about the dangers of extreme inequality and racism.
“Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class. But stark inequality is also corrosive…