Where Is Their Fair Share?

@SunshineGirl Agreed about the ridiculous conspiracy theories. Not so sure about how to define surplus wealth. In a capitalist society one is wise - if able - to build a contingency fund against unpredictable future needs. How big; how to decide? When is enough, enough?

@Really That is a great question. How much is enough? Not sure that anyone can answer that for another person. Maybe the best thing we can do is try to get people to understand what a joy giving really is, like Sunshinegirl said.

@Really I used to work as a government economist and I have few plausible models up my sleeve 🙂 There will never be a politically acceptable answer, but it does not harm to discuss and debate ideas. For me, one definition is if you own your own home and then buy another house purely for investment purposes. You have diminished the supply of an essential yet finite resource, contributed in a small way to price inflation, and made life more difficult for someone who does not have adequate housing. In my view the sum you spent on the second house is clearly surplus wealth that could have been put to more constructive purposes. If you wish to use your wealth in this way, a government can justifiably use taxation in a way to offset the social harm.

@SunshineGirl A good & thoughtful response; excellent example of surplus wealth, what's 'wrong with it' and why. Thank you.

At my age I'm fortunate that we have a mortgage-free home and a modest amount saved, thanks to a fairly frugal lifestyle. It may be more than we'll ever need or it could fall far short. Meantime the building & property are in serious decline. We're physically unable and can't afford to repair & update it, or to move to a place that we'd be more able to maintain.

How much is enough? Depends how much longer each/either of us lives, and in what state of health. I don't want to turn this into a political discussion, but I'll observe that if we were in a more seriously socialist society I might not feel the need to cling so tightly to our savings.

@Really My mother is in a similar situation, alone in a large old property that will not sell easily without investment. Real estate is a curious asset and home ownership can lead to all sorts of unintended consequences. A solution might be for us all to become leaseholders of the state, and for leases to be renewed, altered or terminated in response to major life events, but that would require changes that are perhaps too radical even for my imagination.

@SunshineGirl My sympathies on your mother's alone situation. At least My wife & I are still together & get along most of the time 🙂. Physically she's now a bit more able than I. If/when one of us survives the other they'll have a lot to deal with although what used to look like a reasonably generous life insurance will help financially. And we have 3 competent loving kids. I never imagined being this old !! Grateful? well ..... but I'm addicted to seeing what happens next (in this world)

@Really What a wonderful outlook on life 🙂 Thank you for your sympathies, but she is probably happier than when my dad was alive and she has four daughters to look out for her 🙂

@SunshineGirl Haha; I'm really more of a pessimistic Luddite curmudgeon bu t thank you.