I noticed that the New York City Ballet’s building is now named The David H Koch Theater. He had given $100 million to the company, quite a gift. I knew that he is a fan of the ballet, and everyone knows that the ballet needs money. Arts organizations get very little government funding. Should they take money from someone who also gives big political money to destroy Social Security and the EPA and regulations that aim to limit institutions so that he and his billionaire friends can make even more money at the public’s expense? The charitable foundations of billionaires give millions to worthy causes such as medical centers. Who can argue with that? They support art organizations such as the ballet and opera.
For liberals, the Koch family are unethical and harmful, if not out and out criminals, and I assume that many in the arts, including the ballet, agree.
Efforts at redistribution of wealth has historically not worked out well. Off the top of my head I’m thinking of times after revolutions that populist governments have taken the lands and assets of the ruling families and given them to the poor, such as after the revolutions in France, Russia, China, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, Iran. These redistribution efforts suffered from huge mistakes and corruption, though they were all well-meaning. Can we do this again in a better way? Perhaps the only way to return to liberal and democratic life is to take the wealth of the two thousand plus billionaires in the world. Now we seem to be back to the Medieval feudal system where wealth is concentrated in the hands of very few who make the rules for everyone else. Congress is a millionaires club, including some billionaires. How, do you think, can we restore a little bit of justice and support the well-being of humanity as a whole, not just the few?
What you propose is communism, but so what? It’s necessary to remain a democracy. I agree that we should take away the “extra” money of the rich. What more can they do with it?
A question: if people worked hard for their money or did something very clever, like Gates or Besos or Carlos Slim, what right do you have to take anything away from them. That is capitalism
To be fair, capitalism has to start from a level playing field, which is clearly does not. Most rich people inherit their wealth. Poor people start with a distinct disadvantage. Not sure how to correct that, but it’s wrong.
All utopian societies want their citizens to have no personal money. Although that may be a poor idea, perhaps there can be a compromise with capitalism
We are very lucky to be living in America with all its wealth. It would be much different if we were out in the back country of Africa or Asia were we would not have the luxury of such a debate.
This problem is increasing with Trump and the Republicans. The wealth gab is enormous and increasing. What we need is revolution!