Our government does more now

Reader comment on: Paul Krugman on the Angry Rich

Submitted by ben (United States), Sep 20, 2010 21:17

I would say that providing healthcare for the elderly and poor is a mark of a civilized society, something we didn't do in 1927. Of course, there are many other useful functions our government provides today that it didn't used to.

It is an interesting debate over how much of a person's success is hard work and how much is luck. If I am born into a wealthy family, is that luck? I would say yes. I will go to good schools, get a good education, have financial support to start a business and perhaps strike it rich. Conversely, it I am born in a poor family I will attend a lower quality school, have worse healthcare that keeps me from learning as much, and so on. There will always be outliers on either side of this divide, but far too many people think that their own success is because of their innate brilliance, or believe that someone else's failure shows a lack of effort. If we all started out in equal situations, perhaps we could ascribe one's lot in life to their own abilities, but of course we don't, so we can't.


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The Future of Capitalism replies:

Some is luck, some is hard work. Look at cases of siblings born into same families. If one is successful and one is not, hard to blame it on the family.

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Other reader comments on this item

Title By Date
the loss of opportunity?? [123 words]MaggieOct 24, 2010 09:44
Go back to the Eisenhower-era taxes [138 words]RossOct 5, 2010 04:48
Born rich
[w/response] [19 words]
rachelOct 4, 2010 20:40
Little people make a difference [1592 words]mary LSep 21, 2010 18:25
Dear Rich People: Go on Strike, Proudly [109 words]Richard M. SalsmanSep 22, 2010 17:25
Go on strike [94 words]Robert RoarkSep 23, 2010 16:48
The Angry Rich [214 words]StephanieSep 21, 2010 04:08
⇒ Our government does more now
[w/response] [193 words]
benSep 20, 2010 21:17
Luck, or hard work and good decisions? [168 words]Ben LSep 25, 2010 10:09
Spot on [74 words]Red CabbageSep 20, 2010 18:41
Why has the cost doubled? [106 words]Jordan LundSep 20, 2010 17:54
Why has the cost doubled [23 words]StephanSep 20, 2010 23:46
Hurray for Krugman [18 words]John SmithSep 20, 2010 13:43

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