The richest 2% own half the total wealth, what should be done to spread the wealth ?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6211250.stm

Answer 1

Easiest question I've seen all day.

All you need to do is give the 98% something that the 2% want to buy.

Problem solved.

Answer 2

I have to agree with cooljem8 on this one, although it maybe for selfish reasons.

I started a company from nothing and have made enough money to retire at the ripe old age of 41.

Just because i have a 6 figure bank account, does that mean i shoud now give it all away to millions who i have either never met or do nothing to help themselves?

What about the 150 people the company now employs? What about all their families and children? Am i not creating wealth among them? Aren't those people and their children having a better life because i worked 7 days a week and struggled with nothing for years to get this company off the ground?

So after all that work, all that employment, all that tax paid which benefits this government and in turn this country and you, i now have to give my money away?

I think not.

Answer 3

There is not a more unproductive activity on earth than the bottom 98% wasting their time hating the top 2%. It is a guarantee that you will wake up tomorrow in the exact same situation you are in now.

As the advancement of government control over our lives increases, so grows the richest people. They don't sit on their fat asses, make excuses, complain about other people being rich, and wait for the government to save them. They go out and make things happen.
Damn that Bill Gates - the face of evil.

“Few men desire liberty. The majority are satisfied with a just master.”
-Sallust
.

Answer 4

Nothing should be done, except possibly extend the estate tax. Money tends to flow to those who can best use it. There is no evidence their children are equally talented. The estate tax prevents intergenerational accumulations of wealth and reduces the power of the wealthy. In no way shape or form should we do anything to redistrbute the wealth. It would have deeply adverse consequences to the broader population. It is the wealthy who have the capital to create jobs. If they don't create jobs, they tend to become less wealthy and the problem takes care of itself.

Answer 5

Unfortunately this has been tried many times without success. In a few generations the wealth accumulates in few hands once again. Your best option is to pour money into education, so that poor people have a better idea as to what to do with such wealth comes their way.

Answer 6

Simple, revert back to full communism and thus slow down productivity with a resource distribution maxim 'To Each According to His Need'. This wealth distribution situation- called Ginni coefficient in some quarters, is a fall out of the market economy with its associated improved productivity and a resource distribution maxim 'To Each According To His Ability' -a case of survival of the fittest. Thus, the 2% becomes the fittest....For me full communism is the answer.

Answer 7

First, you might have to fundamentally change religions that try to prevent human advancement. That keeps a large chunk of the world population poor by our standards.

Second, you'd probably want to knock out all tyrannical leaders such as Kim Jong Il and replace their form of government with one that allows ownership and choice. The people that live under such rule would also be considered poor by our standards and that's another fairly sizeable chunk of the world's population.

Third, you might want to knock out the warlords that control much of the African continent and replace them with better governments.

Once you accomplish those things, we'll talk about what you can do next. But, those will likely give you the most bang for your buck.

Answer 8

Do what castro did, stage a revolution, get in government and then nationalise all the property and businesses owned by oversea investors then spend that money on land for the poor and the best health service in the world.
VIVA LA REVOLUTION

Answer 9

Let the poorest 50% starve to death then the richest 4 % will own 50% of the total wealth.

Answer 10

High inheritance taxes so every generation has to earn their own wealth. It also keeps the wealth out of the hands of incompetent spend thrifts.