Top 1% now owns more of the wealth than the remaining 99% • Hacker News Board

Re: Top 1% now owns more of the wealth than the remaining 99%

#111

Post by ptaipale » Wed, Nov 04, 2015, 2:08 PM UTC

fulafel wrote: post #110

ptaipale wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are quite huge challenges in keeping the wealth of the nation with current redistribution systems in Nordic countries. Of course, Norway has oil, so selling it gives money. And Sweden has lots of old money, from the time when ball bearings were selling for good money while everyone else was at war, but it has fallen from the top place of the wealthiest nations where it was decades ago. Finland, on the other han…

So does it follow that they would be doing better with less redistribution? Finland has slow growth but still doing relatively well. And low (by EU standards) debt.

Well, yes. There is currently a problem that economy is choking because the system has caused a massive loss of incentives to giving and taking employment. 10 % unemployment is not very good.

And debt is not yet high but the debt growth is really really bad.

Re: Top 1% now owns more of the wealth than the remaining 99%

#112

Post by vlehto » Wed, Nov 04, 2015, 11:52 PM UTC

randomsearch wrote: post #107

vlehto wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does it provide?

It provides explanations for the correlations, and then backs up these explanations with references that support the effect they're implying. Taking a quick glance at the book, they are over 400 such references made in the text.

I don't need 400 arguments. I need single good one.

Re: Top 1% now owns more of the wealth than the remaining 99%

#113

Post by hfourm » Fri, Nov 06, 2015, 10:41 PM UTC

dollar wrote: post #79

hfourm wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would prefer HN to be a place where things like "socialist propaganda" aren't thrown around so loosely. Thanks.

I'd prefer a world where propaganda wasn't mistaken for journalism. I think it's important to label things what they are. Why is this piece propaganda? Because it presupposes a solution for a perceived problem and appeals to the popular. The problem is that the middle class and poor feel like they are struggling. But that's not what this piece says, it simply says that some people have more. Some people have too much…

As the other response said, this isn't really a propaganda piece. Unless you are reallllly overanalyzing it, which it seems you are. Based on your comment it seems like your own beliefs and opinions were also hard at work projecting themselves on the intentions of the author. Maybe income inequality pieces are appealing so some populist yearning of the middle and lower class. But it is also frustrating because your comment seems to be linked with some underlying belief that socialism is an inherently bad thing. Which, IMO, belongs on a facebook thread of the uneducated and unthoughtful.

Re: Top 1% now owns more of the wealth than the remaining 99%

#114

Post by hfourm » Fri, Nov 06, 2015, 10:44 PM UTC

dollar wrote: post #80

fweespeech wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While the study in the OP is poorly done.. > Who cares about socialist propaganda like this? Discussing inequality in society isn't "socialist propaganda". > There is no evidence that "equality" in the distribution of wealth is good for middle class and low income persons. https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/... > The evidence suggests that the channel through which inequality hurts growth is…

You are right, a discussion of inequality would not be propaganda. But this piece presupposes a solution for a perceived problem and appeals to the popular without supporting its conclusions. The Guardian has a long history of leftist puff pieces. Let's not pretend they are fair and balanced.

The point someone else already made, it seems you are the only one presupposing anything here. Likely because you are abhorrently opposed to "wealth redistribution" or any type of socialistic policy. Based on your OP.