The latest data on wealth distribution leaves me with questions. The 8 wealthiest families are worth as much as the bottom 50% of the World’s population.
My first thought is that really reflects more on the extreme poverty of so many people. Billions of people with net worths of zero. This is a serious problem, but, not it seems, one related to the concentration of wealth in the wealthiest. Whether the wealth is in my middle class bank account or Bill Gate’s, doesn’t really matter much to the people living in Africa’s Rift Valley.
My second thought is our government. We all know that the wealthy have bought our government, and that money is pulling the strings from behind the curtain. Right?
But look at the 8 wealthiest. These don’t seem like evil smoke-filled room schemers. Gates? with all his charities, and Buffett? who says it’s not right that he makes so much more than his secretary, Bezos? who owns the Washington Post, Zuckerberg? bringing Internet to the Third World, Bloomberg? Democrat mayor of New York?
These aren’t people using their money to buy government to increase their wealth. In fact, they’re giving it away. Or using it to explore space.
So where is the money behind bought Congress people coming from? Why haven’t these people, who are the most wealthy, standing in the way? Why aren’t the wealthy on the side of good more effective at off-setting the wealthy on the side of evil?
–Dennis
Beats me. I suppose they say, why bother?
I like the way you think.