If you look at who is wealthy in the US you will notice that the list is
constantly changing and that most of them made their own way. This doesn't
support the notion that the wealthy are locked in and the poor are locked
out. I don't think that anyone would say the playing field is level anymore
than it is level in athletics or looks. It is not a perfect system by any
means but it seems to be better than any other system.

The "poor" around here are the ones who don't work or don't show up for work
during hunting season or when there is a foot of powder at the ski resort.
They are the ones who have four children by age 25. They are the ones who
have jet skis, snowmobiles, atvs and other leisure items that they don't
really "need" but purchased on credit anyway. Their work habits preclude
their incomes rising and their spending and lifestyle habits preclude
retaining any of what they do earn. I don't see any wealthy people
preventing them from succeeding.

Mike
MU-2


"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Aviv Hod" wrote in message
...
[...] The market system is the only system where all the participants,
under normal circumstances, benefit from their engagement in commerce
more than before their engagement. The exchange itself CREATES value,
and we go beyond that zero sum. Does the market create the opportunity
for some individuals to become extremely wealthy? Sure - but it's NOT
because of skin off of anyone else's back.

Your description sounds great. I wish that's how things really worked.
The truth is that the wealthy use their wealth to protect their wealth,
even to increase it, while at the same time to prevent the poor from
getting wealthy.

Does every wealthy person behave this way? No. But plenty do, and enough
do that it's a serious problem. Only in a first grade schoolchild's
fantasy is it true that everyone has equal opportunity, and any random
poor person can become wealthy through simple hard work and perseverence.

See Kevin Phillips "Wealth and Democracy", as a starting point.

Pete