The Rich Get Richer; The Poor Get Shafted
Equality. It’s all about equality if we’re all going to get along in the 21st Century. And nothing says inequality as the latest statistics regarding wealth. According to a story released December 5, 2006, 40 per cent of the world’s wealth is owned by 1 per cent of the population. See: http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2006/12/05/globalwealth.html
That means the poor are getting shafted as they have been for centuries. According to the story, most of these rich-folk live in North America.
And while I would like to dismantle the entire system and change it faster than the Marxist-Leninists, I accept the proposal of Capitalism. Why? Because I would be fighting an uphill battle against forces that are stronger than I am. [I suspect the richest 1% control such forces]. Besides I always thought government acts as the broker between the rich and the poor.
But what about sharing some of the wealth? Isn’t this the very season we are supposed to reflect on the unfortunate and share it with those who have not? How about a guaranteed annual income? We can afford it in North America.
Christmas has become the penance of the Rich. It offers them an opportunity to share a little of their wealth in exchange for living guilt-free the rest of the year. Trouble is poverty, like satellite TV, is with us 24/7. And the poor, in case you’re wondering, are not only in Africa and South America, but right around the corner.
If this is the season to be jolly, I’m having a hard time justifying my modest happiness with so many poor around me. Nevertheless, there is hope if enough us raise a stink in our own communities and offer aid whenever we can. Clearly, we can go two ways as the new year approaches: maintain the status quo or start sharing the wealth. One path is conservative and the other is progressive. It takes leadership and a vision of equality and fairness.
That’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
posted by LeonT at 2:57 p.m.
2 Comments:
Why should anybody feel guilty about being successful?
Why do you hate the rich? They pay ridiculous amounts of money in taxes (higher tax RATES, not just amount of money) for the same services. If you want fair, every citizen would pay the same amount of money. Obviously this isn't feasible, so let's be unfair and charge a flat rate so the rich still get screwed. Even that isn't unfair enough.
The idea that the government should act as a go between for the rich and poor is ridiculous. Differences in wealth are caused by property rights and the liberty to use one's property. The only way to try to engage in class warfare is to eliminate one of these ideals. Madison noted this in Federalist 10.
And don't say that having 40% of the world's wealth screws with the economy by reducing the money supply. People use banks. They keep their money safe and get interest. Then people who want to take out credit to start businesses they couldn't otherwise go to a bank and borrow that at interest. This is a fair transaction that all parties agree to. Government shouldn't enter it at all. That means the rich invest their money for the rest of us to use.
I don't care how much difference there is between rich and poor, as long as government doesn't favor one or the other.
Point is, if you want fair and free, free market is the only option morally and economically.
3:01 p.m.
Ooops, i forgot to mention equality. Are we talking de facto equality or political equality? If you like de facto equality read Harrison Bergeron. De facto means that the smart will be penalized, the athletic crippled to make them equal with disabled people.
Political equality means that people are equal under government. Democracy is a place where I want to single out my betters and emulate them, not drag them down to my level.
3:10 p.m.
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