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Re:Is Inequality Inevitable? by cryptonector on Thursday November 07, 2019 @12:12AM (#21470608)
It's difficult to acquire wealth without creating it. The most obvious way is inheritance / gifts, or else crime (fraud, theft). Most wealth is created though, not inherited. E.g., most notable American billionaires (Gates, Buffet, Bezos, ...) of today created most of their wealth. Down the ranks from billionaires we might find more inheritance / less wealth creation, but I suspect that in general you'll find that in mature, open, liberal market economies, wealth is mostly created, not "acquired".

EDIT: Ah yes, rent-seeking is a problem. That was identified by Adam Smith, and it's a problem that's as yet unsolved.

Re:Is Inequality Inevitable? by JoeAltmaier on Thursday November 07, 2019 @12:22AM (#21470659)
I think that's terribly, terribly naïve. Most wealth was skimmed from other's work through manipulation of stock, bonuses, grants and other executive-suite routines. There's no longer any amount of skimming that's considered egregious. Its ramping up and up without limit.
Re:Is Inequality Inevitable? by La1n on Thursday November 07, 2019 @05:37AM (#21472025)
>Most wealth was skimmed from other's work

Or you know, just by taking the surplus value of someones labor.

Re:Is Inequality Inevitable? by JoeAltmaier on Thursday November 07, 2019 @08:32AM (#21472984)
Again, naïve. The executive suite takes huge bonuses, while there's been no raise for the rank-and-file for a decade. Bonuses even when there's little profit. All rationality has left the equation.

Lets stop living in the 1960's. Don't take our impression of American business from history. Today its very, very different and very, very predatory.