Talk:The distribution of wealth

A core problem
Almost everybody agrees that closing the gap between the wealthy and the poor would solve most of the biggest problems that humanity is facing. What is more complex is to find solutions that everybody agrees upon. Let's see how far can we go departing from the Spiral principle. See also the history of the question "What is to be done?", very relevant here.--QuimGil (talk) 21:18, 21 September 2013 (CEST)


 * Sometimes I think that the solution is to read what Ayn Rand suggests, and then do the opposite. --Qole

Factors to think about

 * Accummulation makes sense for better chances of survival and for comfort. You can accummulate more to assure the same to your circles or your communities. But at certain point accummulation is just a tool of power, a vicious circle, some kind of mental disorder. Can we desarticulate the obsession for accummulation beyond need and comfort?


 * How come that some people accummulate a lot more than others? Let's look at fair and unfair ways to accummulate wealth, and let's also look at inherited property.


 * The fairness of accummulation is relative to the context in which such accummulation happenes. It's not the same to accummulate beyond your strict needs when your neighbors are starving, than doing it in a context where everybody is doing fine. It is not the same to do it thanks to the effort of exploited sources starving, than doing it after playing fair with everybody.


 * What are the assets being accummulated? Money has relative value, especially when obtained through financial operations rather than productive. Financial money is abstract, almost fiction. Srocks and other types of investments can be even more abstract and volatile. What are the interesting wealthy assets, the ones that can benefit directly those in need?


 * Are we talking really about redistribution, or would be enough to have a society with all basic needs and comfort covered, where the wealthy obtained the extra accummulation through fair work and are not using it as a tool for control and oppression?

--QuimGil (talk) 07:40, 23 September 2013 (CEST)
 * How the balancing of the extremes should happen? Is it possible to avoid the boycott, bloodshed and violent conflicts that historically have hampered such efforts?

Debt
Gundula says at Talk:What is to be done?: "Any meaningful debt forgiveness will wipe out a lot of wealth, because a lot of that wealth is based on other people's debt, and potentially do away with the financial system as we know it." I fully agree, this idea should be mentioned here.--QuimGil (talk) 16:29, 23 September 2013 (CEST)

What organizations should we recommend?
Who is working in the lines proposed here? We could start listing organizations that at least are helping the poor, even if we might have some objections about them. For instance, the Red Cross.--QuimGil (talk) 01:17, 13 October 2013 (CEST)

Wealth inequality in America
Also, should we link to videos and other materials like Wealth Inequality in America, showing problems but not advocating for solutions?--QuimGil (talk) 01:44, 13 October 2013 (CEST)

Review
I have just marked this page for review. This is my best attempt so far at addressing the problem of the distribution of wealth. Many texts describe the problems but don't offer any solutions. Other texts offer solutions that require revolutions before taking any effect. I'm trying to propose a plan that you and me can contribute to, here and now. Better ideas are also welcome!--QuimGil (talk) 08:37, 14 October 2013 (CEST)