Income inequality can also be a sign that an economy is functioning improperly. North Korea, Soviet Union, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, etc all have income inequality.

Income inequality can also be a sign that an economy is functioning improperly. North Korea, Soviet Union, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, etc all have income inequality. I don't think anyone would say their economies are/were functioning properly. > Income inequality rewards the development of all of those qualities. Not necessarily. Your statement would be true if every generation started a 0, on equal footing and the system/environment was fair. Would you say that income inequality in Confederate South was a result of rewarding "talents, ambition, tolerance for risk, vision"? Income inequality is a very complex subject. People who try to frame it in a simplistic black and white worldview really do it a disservice.