Look at a graph of log GDP for the world or the US over the last 200 years. Why does it keep going up? Mainly because of technology. If you want an accurate,

Look at a graph of log GDP for the world or the US over the last 200 years. Why does it keep going up? Mainly because of technology. If you want an accurate, rather than pithy, summary of the effects of technology, it would be "technology gives us more and better things" or "technology makes the world richer". Distribution is an issue, but without technological growth there would be nothing extra to redistribute in the first place.