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Inequality != Injustice Imagine a society where the poorest person had a standard-of-living on par with Warren Buffet, but where the richest person was richer
by notdonspaulding 10y ago
Inequality != Injustice
Imagine a society where the poorest person had a standard-of-living on par with Warren Buffet, but where the richest person was richer than the poorest by a factor 100-times greater than we find in our world today. Does anyone argue that such a society is worse than the one we find ourselves in? Wouldn't everyone jump at the chance to live in that society, regardless of which strata they found themselves living in?
Another thought experiment: Imagine you could wave a wand today and redistribute everyone's wealth such that everyone had exactly equal wealth. Further assume you could find a set of laws which guaranteed nobody would exploit anyone else, and dictate and enforce them perfectly on this utopic society. Would you allow trades in your society? If so, how long would it take before some people had more wealth than others? Would it just never happen? If not, why not?
Inequality is no great evil to be banished. Even if it were, you couldn't do it and maintain the freedom of different people to value different goods/services at different amounts and to make trades based on their values.
Fighting Poverty is a worthy goal.
Fighting Injustice is a worthy goal.
Fighting Racism is a worthy goal.
Fighting Inequality is tilting at windmills.
- thatcat 10y agoFighting poverty sometimes implies fighting inequality, such as in a zero sum resource struggle. Poor people aren't warren buffet yet.