(sarcasm=on, mode=strong)
But then the affluent would not feel so affluent, only average! This isn't about actually fixing problems, it's totally about feeling superior to somebody, and without the absolutely destitute, there would be nobody to feel superior toward! Everyone wants to be one of the 1% who has everything, even if they have much more in common with the vastly larger demographic of the highly impoverished! This whole notion of uplifting the whole of society to more equal status-- It totally ignores the psychological motivations behind wealth accumulation!
(sarcasm=off)
EG, The rich perform actions that make themselves feel empowered. When they perceive a threat to that power, they will play lip service (like the afore mentioned "Pledge"), but this ultimately still leaves them vastly disproportionate to the rest of the society, their inclination to accumulate wealth remains, the inequality continues roughshod, but now they have a talking point to say 'See! We totally care about your poor, poor people! (aren't I such a GOOD rich person!)"
The very existence of rich and poor exemplifies the problem, which is inequality. People seek to become unequal, because they seek disproportionate power and status for a variety of reasons. Some are ultimately more successful than others, and this results in winners and losers, which then evolve into populations of rich and poor.
This cycle will continue forever unless you can find a way to successfully reprogram humans to simply enjoy being alive, instead of having insatiable fixations on increasing status; or at least, find creative ways to redirect that fixation so that it benefits the whole of society instead of just the status fixated. (EG, I acknowledge that things like electricity, running water, the internet, and pals are all borne from wanting more, and finding ways to get it-- however, those are things that EVERYONE can have. The goal is to convert the notion of "I am better than these people..." to "There has to be a better way than this...", which is no small task.)