Inheritance: unearned
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do… Read More »Inheritance: unearned
wealth
Midas and the alchemist; or, Monetize This
The alchemist is hungry for money, desperate to turn something into gold. He’ll try anything, working through the night to find the trick for getting… Read More »Midas and the alchemist; or, Monetize This
Remember the name: Persistence of wealth through China’s revolutions
via MR Can efforts to eradicate inequality in wealth and education eliminate intergenerational persistence of socioeconomic status? Or would the rich and powerful be able… Read More »Remember the name: Persistence of wealth through China’s revolutions
On Getting-Rid-of-Capital-ism
The use of the word Capitalism to describe what goes on in free market economies – usually in opposition to Socialism or Communism – has… Read More »On Getting-Rid-of-Capital-ism
Adam Smith on emergent opulence: peace, easy taxes and justice
You heard it first from Thucidides. Now here’s Smith: Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the… Read More »Adam Smith on emergent opulence: peace, easy taxes and justice
Resident Contrarian On the Experience of Being Poor-ish
This is an interesting read I came across via Marginal Revolution. It’s a fairly straightforward, non-polemical description of the challenges of being “poor-ish” in the… Read More »Resident Contrarian On the Experience of Being Poor-ish
Thucydides on the prosperity that comes with peace
This is Thucydides writing in 432 BC. Apart from the general description of how stability affects the accumulation of wealth he also gives what is… Read More »Thucydides on the prosperity that comes with peace
Time and money
I’ve been spending quite a few of my mornings running through the centre of Cambridge. A lot of it is beautiful – especially the colleges.… Read More »Time and money
Privilege(s)
Youth Age and experience Health Strength Energy Being loved Wit Family Beauty Opportunity Education Being born a socially advantaged gender Being born to socially advantaged… Read More »Privilege(s)
Astonishing wealth inequality graphic
Inequality isn’t my favourite hobby horse, mainly because: “Fair” and “equal [being / having the same]” are often (wrongly) assumed to be the same thing;… Read More »Astonishing wealth inequality graphic