Debate: Is There Too Much Inequality?
Speakers
Release Date
March 8, 2013
Topic
Wealth inequality may be real, but is it fair? And what does it mean for a society to be fair? Learn Liberty asked these questions to two professors — a libertarian (Professor Steve Horwitz), and an opposing philosopher (Professor Jeffrey Reiman) — in a debate on inequality in America.
The distribution of wealth in America is dramatically lopsided towards the 1% – a point vividly demonstrated in “Wealth Inequality in America,” and agreed upon by both professors. For many, there is something intuitively and philosophically unfair about this inequality. “We are the 99%!” is a mantra of Occupy Wall Street’s dissatisfaction, and a protest against America’s status quo. Professor Horwitz says that this argument misses a central point: do the poor in our society regularly lift themselves out of poverty? “How easy is it, or how difficult is it, for folks who start off poor, to no longer be poor?”
7 Comments
Matt Wavle
First I’d like to know WHY is equality a goal and WHY is inequality a bad thing? If freedom is a better goal and if forced equality is counter-productive to freedom, then equality may at times be an enemy to freedom, and should not even be considered a valid goal.
borisjvandruff
There is no civilization on the planet that prospers without at least some form of capitalism and largely free trade. Not a single one.
Anonymous
Anonymous
I agree, and say that it is the best economic system ever. However, it must be saved from it’s own excess.
Lukas Koube
capitalism doesnt have excesses. people who want equality often come into the conversation when it is 90% over.
Lukas Koube
this is nonsense. if people cant pay their mortgages, housing prices will fall and people will re-finance. this isnt a housing crises, this is a good thing for poor people who cant currently afford homes.
Lukas Koube
in order to end an inequality of material possessions you must first create an inequality of power.