How do you close the gap between rich and poor? (programs, states)
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That kind of trust in society used to be present around the world. It is the anonymity of the city that has made people more distrustful. But it is not because of a heterogeneous population, but because anonymity. It is the same here in rural Portugal. Old people in the hinterland are distrustful towards any strangers, be they natives or of some other ethnic background. There are no cultures that say it is ok to steal. That is a racist or ethnicist view.
That's exactly the point. As I already said, there only is a need to "protect" Scandinavia because Nato has had an aggressive attitude towards Russia for decades, breaking agreements, expanding Nato towards Russia etc. Nato, pushed by the US and Britain mainly, creates the enemies they then claim they have to defend others from. It is totally transparent and most people in Europe know it. And of course there is a good reason why the US pretends to defend Europe. It is an egoistic thing to do as it ensures orders for US defense (which is a funny word these days, actually it means offense) companies and gives the US a pretext for staying here. That's why the US is annoyed about the planned European armed forces. Despite public statements to the contrary, the US does not want Europeans to defend themselves if that means Europe becomes an independent world power in its own right, using its own equipment. The US benefits more from the current status.
I don't agree at all. I am from Germany originally, which does not like elites. Their universities are mediocre, their politicians are mediocre, their businessmen are mediocre, yet they have a very strong economy.
And no, most people in the military are not the best at all. The best usually don't risk their lives anymore.
I would not even hire any manager that has elitist schools of economics and companies mentioned in their curriculum.
If two people are separated by $100,000 in net worth, and we call that "the gap" between them, and the government simply prints $10,000 for each of them and adds it to their respective net worth, what has happened, on net, to "the gap?" If you answered "it remains unchanged", then give yourself a gold star.
Since the thread asks "what can we do", the "we" is clearly Leviathan and is better asked "what can a government do to close a gap in net worth between the poorest and richest citizens under its rule?"
Well, what are government's powers, in general? Currency sovereign, monopoly holder on force/violence, and ultimate enforcer/maker/adjudicator of law. Thus, possible "solutions" for gap closing would be:
As currency sovereign, simply print more money and give it to the poor. Problem there is a vast increase in the money supply, thus pretty serious inflation. The entire basket of goods will go up in price, thus diluting how much additional purchasing power the poor receive from their newly expanded "income." Also lowers the value of the US dollar as a global currency, and that is never a good thing. But a currency sovereign can indeed print money whenever it wants, so this is a legit method to close a gap - print and then give money to only the poor.
As maker/enforcer/adjudicator of laws, as well as monopoly holder on force/violence, simply write laws that outlaw being rich, seize property/wealth, and then redistribute according to your "flattening" algorithm. Problem there is you have now discouraged success past whatever point you have marked as the line where that punishment process begins. If you say all wealth over $500k is to be seized, then no wealth over $500k will be reported. The reported gap may indeed be advertised as smaller, but the poor won't really benefit so much as be fed pablum/placebo to be made to feel better about a station/situation in life that hasn't changed.
Not much more government can really do. Wealth being an inherently individual trait and all. And no matter what they do, the gap doesn't really change.
I don't see it that way. The net worth of people results from their income (including inherited stuff), so if people's incomes are changed, people's net worth will change as well.
If you are speaking about the US, you are dead wrong.
OK to shoplift because stores carry insurance.
OK to game the government entitlement system(s) because well, soak the rich and wtf cares?
OK to steal crap off rich person's doorstep because big house and they can run insurance claim.
OK to claim disability when you aren't really disabled.
OK to steal office supplies from work for stuff that isn't work.
etc etc etc
The US population has tons of subcultures who not only excuse stealing, but actively encourage it. And it transcends race/ethnicity. Basically, any group who has identified as "have nots" has all manner of cultural excuses to steal from or otherwise "get over" on those they feel are the "haves."
That's as American as apple effing pie.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling
That is a racist or ethnicist view.
Nope. Simple reality check is all. Americans are an immoral bunch, rotted to the core by the welfare state, exactly as planned.
I don't see it that way. The net worth of people results from their income (including inherited stuff), so if people's incomes are changed, people's net worth will change as well.
Another person who cannot process the difference between income and wealth. You do realize books cure ignorance, yes?
Another person who cannot process the difference between income and wealth. You do realize books cure ignorance, yes?
There is a difference, but they are not unrelated.
Plus, there are ways to reduce people's assets, for instance levying a hefty tax on inheritance, capital gains, stock transactions etc. Just for starters...
I would be very creative when it comes to pruning and redistributing wealth
I don't know how it works, but obviously it does work... You would have to ask those companies how they do it...
No, it does not. The US and Eritrea are the only 2 countries in the world that tax their citizens on worldwide income regardless of wherever in the world they live or where that income was earned. The US charges US corporations on their worldwide profit. As to US corporate taxes... That's why Warren Buffett did the Burger King tax inversion. BK's parent company is now headquartered in Canada, so now BK only has to pay US taxes on its US profits, not on its worldwide profits.
Last edited by InformedConsent; 02-25-2019 at 03:06 PM..
Plus, there are ways to reduce people's assets, for instance levying a hefty tax on inheritance, capital gains, stock transactions etc. Just for starters...
I would be very creative when it comes to pruning and redistributing wealth
No, you wouldn't. Governments have been seizing wealth from those they rule since the invention of government.
Nothing you could possibly propose would be creative. It would just be theft. Plain old, garden variety stealing from those who have things to steal.
And all you will do with those seizures is learn a very important, if folksy lesson - you can shear a sheep many times, but skin it only once.
Start seizing wealth/assets, and you'll find out how quickly you run out of not only stuff to seize, but FAITH and BELIEF in your form of government and how much that government's power should be obeyed/tolerated/accepted. Everywhere large scale seizures under whatever nationalized redistribution banner you choose have occurred, revolution/overthrow has never been far behind.
But go ahead, start seizing wealth in the name of the poor. Start with the rich folks in Congress and see how cool they are with writing their financial deaths into law.
I don't see it that way. The net worth of people results from their income (including inherited stuff), so if people's incomes are changed, people's net worth will change as well.
Not at all true. High income earners sometimes go bankrupt. What's their net worth? Less than zero.
No, it does not. The US and Eritrea are the only 2 countries in the world that tax their citizens on worldwide income regardless of wherever in the world they live or where that income was earned. The US charges US corporations on their worldwide profit. As to US corporate taxes... That's why Warren Buffett did the Burger King tax inversion. BK's parent company is now headquartered in Canada, so now BK only has to pay US taxes on its US profits, not on its worldwide profits.
It is irrelevant because companies can avoid taxes no matter where they are headquartered or registered. There are always ways around it, be it in Europe, be it in the US, be it in China or wherever. Many managers are sociopaths, actually some are even psychopaths, the rate of those among CEO's is clearly above normal.
No, you wouldn't. Governments have been seizing wealth from those they rule since the invention of government.
Nothing you could possibly propose would be creative. It would just be theft. Plain old, garden variety stealing from those who have things to steal.
And all you will do with those seizures is learn a very important, if folksy lesson - you can shear a sheep many times, but skin it only once.
Start seizing wealth/assets, and you'll find out how quickly you run out of not only stuff to seize, but FAITH and BELIEF in your form of government and how much that government's power should be obeyed/tolerated/accepted. Everywhere large scale seizures under whatever nationalized redistribution banner you choose have occurred, revolution/overthrow has never been far behind.
But go ahead, start seizing wealth in the name of the poor. Start with the rich folks in Congress and see how cool they are with writing their financial deaths into law.
The best way to fight wealth accumulation would be a world government that prevents the current international ways of hiding fortunes, avoiding taxes etc.
But I would start much earlier, at school so to speak. Teaching children different, higher values and priorities. Social, just, sustainable, responsible ones.
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