Yeah I just don’t know Arraya. I guess I can easily see collapse somewhere out there – why not – it’s happened many times before.[/quote]
Indeed. History is littered with failed econo-politico-cultural systems. There are three main scholars that have studied why societies fail and we have all the symptoms. It boils down to not being able to adapt to new problems in a rational manner.
[quote=KSMountain]On the other hand, haven’t there always been “elites”? Was there ever a time when there wasn’t inequitable distribution of wealth?[/quote]
More or less since early and pre-civilization. Hunter-gatherers pretty much had equal access to resources and a very informal hierarchies. Pre-Sumer civilization was egalitarian-ish, worshipped female deities. They were eventually taken over by a male deity, hierarchical waring culture like 7-9000 year ago.
[quote=KSMountain]Even in the USSR you had the party members, the politburo, dachas, and highway lanes reserved for the elites.[/quote]
No doubt- they had an elite.
[quote=KSMountain]Perhaps even in caveman days there was a guy who figured out how to attach a spearhead more securely to his spear, and was more successful hunting, and then got all the chicks. And the other cavemen were likely grunting in jealousy.[/quote]
Yes, guys that were good hunters did well with the ladies. But in tribes everybody’s needs were taken care of – nature permitting. Having a massive resource disparity would have been considered socially disruptive and rude.
[quote=KSMountain]I am in rare agreement with Brian here. You get your “wish”, things go to crap for 10-15 years – then what? How do you know you don’t end up with something even more inequitable? Might that even be the *most likely* outcome?[/quote]
A better system surely is not inevitable, but it is possible. There is also very bleak possibilities as well, if we don’t watch ourselves. What is inevitable, though, is growing “wealth” disparity and disenfranchisement. It’s systemic
