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Is Inequality Caused by Capitalism or Statism?
Townhall.com ^ | June 15, 2014 | John Browne

Posted on 06/15/2014 4:56:04 PM PDT by Kaslin

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1 posted on 06/15/2014 4:56:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

It is caused by some people working hard and being prudent, while others are lazy and profligate.


2 posted on 06/15/2014 5:06:54 PM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Kaslin

Inequality is caused for the same reason poverty, homelessness and immigration crises are being fostered: TO MAKE WAY FOR INCREASING STATE POWER AS THE ONLY APPARENT SOLUTION. This is CRISIS creation leading to collapse of our society and form of government to make way for complete totalitarian socialism.

Obamacare was designed to fail so we would then get single payer, i.e., socialized medicine. Obama’s economic policy is also designed to fail for an even bigger goal—the death of America.


3 posted on 06/15/2014 5:06:59 PM PDT by SC_Pete
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To: Kaslin

I am unfortunately not an economist, but I’ve read several discussions and criticisms of Piketty’s work.

It looks to me like all commenters are missing what seems to me to be the elephant on the sofa.

The greatest returns in the last 20 years have not been on invested capital, they’ve been for creative ideas.

The founders of Google, Apple, Facebook et al did not get rich because they invested capital, they got rich because they created entire new industries using just their minds. The capital investment, while necessary, was among the least important factors in this generation of wealth.

Meanwhile, you can sit around and invest capital all you want, and in and of itself the return often sucks pretty hard. Extract the “creativity return” I’m positing, and I suspect the average return on “capital” has been pretty lousy.

But possibly I’m drawing a distinction that isn’t meaningful.


4 posted on 06/15/2014 5:08:35 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (Perception wins all the battles. Reality wins all the wars.)
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To: Kaslin

“Equality of outcome” is a Marxist myth.Why should I expect to make the same as a brain surgeon who completed 4 years of undergrad,4 years of medical school,8 years of post graduate training and 5 years setting up a practice when I only completed 2 years of college?


5 posted on 06/15/2014 5:19:48 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Rat Party Policy:Lie,Deny,Refuse To Comply)
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To: Kaslin

Inequality is the desired and natural condition of freedom.


6 posted on 06/15/2014 5:47:54 PM PDT by billhilly (Its OK, the left hated Bush.)
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To: Kaslin

Inequality is the desired and natural condition of freedom.


7 posted on 06/15/2014 5:49:51 PM PDT by billhilly (Its OK, the left hated Bush.)
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To: Kaslin
French economist now THERE is an oxymoron if i ever saw one... please
8 posted on 06/15/2014 5:53:05 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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To: Kaslin

state capitalism, not free market capitalism = FASCISM!

Fascism is also known as “Crony Capitalism”, something El-Presidente is well known for. His buddies get some really sweet posts in “private” industry.


9 posted on 06/15/2014 5:57:45 PM PDT by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of gun free zones?)
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To: Sherman Logan

>> The capital investment, while necessary, was among the least important factors in this generation of wealth.

Capital is arguably the most important factor especially since an operation does NOT require extraordinary creativity to flourish. Furthermore, capital often plays an ongoing role in the operational life cycle for companies large and small. A company’s retained capital also plays an important role in growth and survival. Even distributed capital is often reinjected for sustainability and growth.


10 posted on 06/15/2014 6:00:10 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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Statism demands equal misery for all but the overloads governing the statist economy.

Don’t be a statist!


11 posted on 06/15/2014 6:02:06 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Kaslin

Limbaugh said it best...The problem isn’t a unequal distribution of wealth, it’s an unequal distribution of Capitalism.


12 posted on 06/15/2014 6:02:12 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: yldstrk

In a free capitalistic state “It is caused by some people working hard and being prudent, while others are lazy and profligate.”


13 posted on 06/15/2014 6:02:46 PM PDT by Blue Collar Christian (There's only one reason for authorities to take the arms of good people.)
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To: logic101.net

State Capitalism is precisely what “Communist” China has.


14 posted on 06/15/2014 6:03:31 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Gene Eric

Piketty’s article is about the relative return on invested capital vs. increase in wages/salaries.

My contention is that the return on capital is mixed in with the return for creative ideas, and that the really big returns are for the ideas, not the capital. This distorts the issue, and makes it look like merely having capital to invest ensures a great return. And it just doesn’t.


15 posted on 06/15/2014 6:09:54 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (Perception wins all the battles. Reality wins all the wars.)
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To: SC_Pete

Inequality is caused by socialist...spread the wealth type governments. Immigration does not cause poverty or inequality. Singapore has 3.5 million citizens, and they allow 2 million foreigners to come and work in their country. On top of that their government is extremely friendly to business.

Result? Singapore has the highest concentration of rich people in the whole world. Every 6th citizen is a millionaire.


16 posted on 06/15/2014 6:15:56 PM PDT by entropy12 (Obummer = worst president ever, thanks to voters who abstained on election day!)
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To: Gene Eric
The capital investment, while necessary, was among the least important factors in this generation of wealth.

"Capital is arguably the most important factor."

I really doubt you mean that. You seriously think the most important factor in the success of Google, Facebook and Apple is that somebody invested capital?

17 posted on 06/15/2014 6:16:25 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (Perception wins all the battles. Reality wins all the wars.)
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To: yldstrk

Bingo! Inequality is caused by nature, nuture and human nature. The idea that you can eliminate inequality is so childish to be delusional.


18 posted on 06/15/2014 6:24:18 PM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (You can have a free country or government schools. Choose one.)
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To: entropy12

I think we agree—except that immigration in this country is being used to overwhelm our borders and create a RAT voting bloc. If we were serious about immigration for economic purposes, we would recruit foreigners based on our needs—not a tsunami of the indigent from all over south and Central America. We have critical worker shortages around the country and yet we import people with no skills—only potential welfare recipients and emergency room guests.


19 posted on 06/15/2014 6:24:34 PM PDT by SC_Pete
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To: dfwgator

Not necessarily. China has created 1.3 Million millionaires. You do not get there without allowing small businessmen to succeed.


20 posted on 06/15/2014 6:24:54 PM PDT by entropy12 (Obummer = worst president ever, thanks to voters who abstained on election day!)
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