3 ms·

Good on him for giving away his fortune. Anyone else feeling uneasy that society is increasingly dependent on a handful of ultra wealthy people's generosity fo

by akudha 1y ago

Good on him for giving away his fortune. Anyone else feeling uneasy that society is increasingly dependent on a handful of ultra wealthy people's generosity for investment in certain good initiatives? We live in a time where there are individuals who have more money than many small countries, governments are cutting funding for good programs while individuals are stepping in to help. What is the point of living in a democracy if big investments depend on the mood of some billionaire?

eirikbakke 1y ago
The government has a fixed pie to allocate to various projects. Businesses, by contrast, can create more pie, from labor and raw materials that cost less than the value of the final product. So funding charitable causes with money earned from honest business is a win-win for society. But then we can debate if Microsoft made their money honestly or not. If Microsoft exploited their monopoly, then perhaps Bill Gates stole from the rich to give to the poor...