[green_achers]

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that the periods of this nations history that have had the widest wealth disparity have tended to fall just before major recessions or depressions. Think the 1920s, 2000s. So there goes the "more is better" argument.

[CarlosFerreira]

The argument is that concentration of capital increases efficiency in the usage of that capital.

[kmann]

If the sole criteria is to maximize capital efficiency, good. But I can think of a dozen goals that would be more important than that, like maybe minimize poverty.

[vaseline2008]

Although man has come a long way from being the hunter/gather, we still have quite a ways to go in the humanity dept.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." - Albert Einstein

[green_achers]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CarlosFerreira', 'T')he argument is that concentration of capital increases efficiency in the usage of that capital.

[Kristen]

The whole idea of "capital" and all of the other economic jargon is all pretty recent if we look at humankind's history. I can think of many nations that have fallen into the cracks of time from having such a wealth disparity. Also material wealth does not mean capital. Hell, you're better off getting a toaster from garage sale that's twenty or thirty years old then buying a new one. You'll thank me for the advice later, trust me. Also I can't think of a time in America where the wealthy actually used their capital to better the society as a whole. Oh sure, they have their flashy charities and paint compassionate smiles on their faces. But lets be honest here, most of them are tax write offs and like a few measly million is going to help stop the hunger in Africa.

The argument of capitalism is hidden between the lines here. You need a goal, target, to increase productivity. More competition means better prices.. I do think capitalism has served its purpose but its ideology is slowly dying. May it rest in peace.

[CarlosFerreira]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('green_achers', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CarlosFerreira', 'T')he argument is that concentration of capital increases efficiency in the usage of that capital.

[green_achers]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CarlosFerreira', ' ')Let's all discuss new problems.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'N')ot only is wealth disparity a good thing.
I believe the more the better!

[CarlosFerreira]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'N')ot only is wealth disparity a good thing.
I believe the more the better!

[pogoliamo]

I feel obliged here.

Nobody took this post for serious?



Having all wealth distributed equally creates consumer society. As a result everybody get a big SUV and you got the idea, here comes the crash.

Heaving the wealth concentrated in the hands of the few does not mean poverty for the rest, quite the opposite, it keeps them away from the stupid decisions they would otherwise make and instead of consuming the wealth in the most stupid way (just as Americans did) they would invest in productive manner. If everybody eats out its wealth in aggregate it would crash the economy, hence you have everybody poor very soon.

Productive capital makes it possible for the rest to live and enjoy the benefits of a developed economy and society.

This should be evident to most of you since I haven't heard of rather poor Americans emigrating to Africa where they immediately become mostly rich.

But please, don't miss the occasion, there should be flights to Ethiopia every day so nobody is holding you back to become a monopolistic capitalist just as nobody pointed a gun on your head to take the million dollar mortgage.

[CarlosFerreira]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pogoliamo', '
')Having all wealth distributed equally creates consumer society.

[yesplease]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CarlosFerreira', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pogoliamo', '
')Having all wealth distributed equally creates consumer society.

[Quinny]

I've been to Dominican Republic a few times, and when flying in the flightpath sometimes takes you over the Haitian border. It's amazing the difference in forest cover that occurs at the border. I'm not talking about gradual change, there is no forest on the Haitian side, and then at the border there is suddenly jungle. It's not agricultural land either, the Haitian side is just barren hills.

The situation has I understand improved slightly recently due to international aid, but you can still observe it on google maps.

I agree with the point about mis-management, but the point should be made that Haiti followed a right wing agenda whilst DR followed a more democratic social democratic model. The levels of poverty, environmental destruction, and income disparity are muvh higher in Haiti on the same island!

The countries and there people are not inherently poor, just kept poor by the system.

The border
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CarlosFerreira', 'T')he problem with Haiti is not inequality or disparity.. It's a dirt poor country, whose ecosystem has been absolutely torn apart through years of mismanagement a nd gross appropriation by bad rulers. It's a place with no capacity to support its current population and, as such, it's a country fertile in these sort of horrid schemes.

[CarlosFerreira]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', 'I')'ve been to Dominican Republic a few times, and when flying in the flightpath sometimes takes you over the Haitian border. It's amazing the difference in forest cover that occurs at the border. I'm not talking about gradual change, there is no forest on the Haitian side, and then at the border there is suddenly jungle. It's not agricultural land either, the Haitian side is just barren hills.

The situation has I understand improved slightly recently due to international aid, but you can still observe it on google maps.

I agree with the point about mis-management, but the point should be made that Haiti followed a right wing agenda whilst DR followed a more democratic social democratic model. The levels of poverty, environmental destruction, and income disparity are muvh higher in Haiti on the same island!

The countries and there people are not inherently poor, just kept poor by the system.

The border

[Quinny]

You can take a look on Google earth. It's particularly stark at the Southern end of the border.


$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('CarlosFerreira', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', 'I')'ve been to Dominican Republic a few times, and when flying in the flightpath sometimes takes you over the Haitian border. It's amazing the difference in forest cover that occurs at the border. I'm not talking about gradual change, there is no forest on the Haitian side, and then at the border there is suddenly jungle. It's not agricultural land either, the Haitian side is just barren hills.

The situation has I understand improved slightly recently due to international aid, but you can still observe it on google maps.

I agree with the point about mis-management, but the point should be made that Haiti followed a right wing agenda whilst DR followed a more democratic social democratic model. The levels of poverty, environmental destruction, and income disparity are muvh higher in Haiti on the same island!

The countries and there people are not inherently poor, just kept poor by the system.

The border