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This is something that bothers me every time I read about a wealthy person/biz doing something for the working poor. It's not that I don't appreciate the actio
by bmpafa 8y ago
This is something that bothers me every time I read about a wealthy person/biz doing something for the working poor.
It's not that I don't appreciate the actions, it's that I'm uncomfortable with the idea that oligarchy means working people are beholden to an unaccountable group of affluents. It's like we're outsourcing the government's responsibility for collective welfare.
- maxerickson 8y agoGovernments in the US have never taken up the responsibility of ensuring that everyone can get a post secondary education. There's historically been substantial investment in universities and colleges, but that was always about increasing the number of people with those educations (economic development in other words) and never about universal higher education. Nowadays there's lots of people pursuing professional education and the support available to each individual has been declining (this may still cost lots more than higher levels of support that existed when fewer people sought degrees).
- cuckcuckspruce 8y agoOn the flip side, I think those that have been more fortunate (as in acquiring obscene wealth) have a duty of noblesse oblige to the society and people that helped them get there. The fact that so many shop at Walmart is what keeps the Walton family wealthy. Why would it be wrong to expect them to pay that back in some way? Nobody is saying they should go broke doing it, but they owe their success not only to their business acumen and good decisions but to the people that continue to shop there in the face of alternatives.
- Nullabillity 8y agoAnd they should -- by paying their taxes.