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Kids have obvious value to their parents. That’s like one of the most basic evolutionary instincts.

• eesmith 5y ago
  Sure. But then you have to argue that John T. Walton provided $18 billion of value to his parents. And if Sam Walton were taxed at 100% for all wealth over $100 million, so John Walton were only worth $20 million, then would John have provided less value to his parents? My parents spend several $100,000 on my upbringing. Does that represent my value to my parents? The children from the world's poorest families also provide value to their parents. From this I conclude that "obvious value" of evolution and capitalism's "monetary value" aren't the same.
  • LudwigNagasena 5y ago
    Value is subjective and dependence on your circumstances.
    • eesmith 5y ago
      The current circumstances are from seibelj's comment "you become rich by providing value to other people", where "value" is specifically something which provides economic wealth. Gaining wealth by being the child of a wealthy person is not something specific to capitalism, certainly happened in feudal monarchies, and almost certainly also happened with the children of high level apparatchiks in the Soviet Union.