How Visible Are Differences in Incomes?

by Don Boudreaux on November 4, 2007

in Inequality, Standard of Living

Here’s a letter that I sent a few days ago to the Wall Street Journal:

Your readers identify
genuine flaws in Arthur Brooks’s argument that inequality of incomes in
America is counteracted by near-equality of "happiness" (Letters,
November 1).  The unhappy fact is that "happiness research" is a
smorgasbord of foolishness.

Nevertheless, measures of inequality
of incomes do indeed vastly overstate the inequality of material living
standards.  Nearly all Americans enjoy easy access to the likes of
microwave ovens, cell phones, the Internet, and MP3 players, as well
as, of course, to food, clothing, and shelter.  So the differences
separating the super-rich from ordinary folks are increasingly abstract
and invisible.  I’m told that, say, David Koch has billions more
dollars in his bank account than I have in mine, but I never see his
bank statements.  The fact is, Mr. Koch is no better fed, clothed, or
coiffed than I am.  And when he walks down the street, Mr. Koch’s
immense wealth does little to distinguish him from the many
middle-class Americans who walk past him – all unaware that his
portfolio is unusually hefty.

Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux

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  • Seth

    Muirgeo - And yet when David Koch, or his children, vote they have roughly the same political power as the rest of us.


    The Revolution wasn't against rich people who rightfully earned their wealth by creating something valuable enough that others were willing to voluntarily trade for it - or their heirs.


    It was against those people who didn't share the belief that David Koch, as well as you and I, had as much political power in the vote as anyone else. It was against people that sounded an awful lot like you.

  • "Does that distinguish him from you, me, the man on the street and most of the Americans who want stronger environmental protections but have little money or access to politicians?"


    1. And you are not concerned at all about the incentives of the political classes enacting regulations? The Endangered Species Act was an environmental regulation which has broad support and to my understanding no George Soros or Koch campaigning for it ... yet it would be hard to characterize it as a success. Few species have been delisted since its enactment and the law creates extremely perverse incentives for landowners who learn that a listed species is likely to be living near their property.


    2. And how can you blame persons for contributing to a political party when he is trying to defend his interests from being expropriated? That $487,500 is a small investment to make to prevent the criminals in Washington from taking millions more, perhaps.


    3. And of course, most important, you do not address the point of Professor Boudreaux's post. How visible are income differences? Not very.

  • Flash Gordon

    Muirgeo, are you equally concerned about the $27 Million that George Soros spent in one year to elect Democrats?

  • muirgeo

    The fact is, Mr. Koch is no better fed, clothed, or coiffed than I am. And when he walks down the street, Mr. Koch's immense wealth does little to distinguish him from the many middle-class Americans who walk past him - all unaware that his portfolio is unusually hefty.


    Sincerely,

    Donald J. Boudreaux




    How about when Mr Koch gives$487,500 in campaign contributions to the Republican party? Does that distinguish him from you, me, the man on the street and most of the Americans who want stronger environmental protections but have little money or access to politicians? Yes, on the street he make look just like me or you but behind closed doors is where his advantage is.


    And of his children...like he they will be born Kings never with a need to work a day in their life.....you do know we fought a revolution over this sort of stuff don't you? How are people who become so wealthy they can own politicians and never have to work a day in their lives contribute to competitive markets? Why do you want to bring back kings?


    You quite simply are favoring a system that puts privilege above competition.





  • Flash Gordon

    You are a wise person, M. Hodak.

  • I think the biggest difference between people like Mr. Koch and the rest of us is how much he spends on philanthropic consumption. He, like every billionaire, knows he can't take it with him. So he endows the things that seem to attract most of the super-rich: education and health care foundations. I know this isn't as satisfying to the leftists as taxing Koch and distributing his largess via democratic (read: wasteful, bureaucratic) channels. It also bugs the elitist without the wealth that long after they are gone and forgotten, people will still see the names or images of these benefactors on the walls of schools and hospitals.


    What bugs me, on the other hand, is seeing roads and buildings named after politicians whose sole effort was to extract money from the people and channel it to their pet projects.


    http://www.teterboro-online.com/trans/rail/sts/fl.shtml


    http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_byrddroppings

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