During the height of Soviet Marxism, say early 1950s Stalin era, how much wealthier would a top member of the Politboro have been then a tractor factory worker waiting in line for 4 hours to buy bread.

@1 Yup, Stalin's Russia and North Korea are the bench marks for a just society. Way to set the bar. As long as it's not as bad as Stalin's Russia, its all good!

#2

My point exactly.

We have a Marxism that avoids the more overt harshness.

#3

Well examine "wealth" but what about spending.

For example, I view the Richard Branson "circle" on Google+.

I see Richard eating sushi.
I see Richard going ziplining.
I see Richard relaxing on a veranda.

Wait a minute...in the last two years I've done all those things, and the total cost (including travel for me and my son to Puerto Vallarta) was less than $3000!

So, yes, they have "great wealth" but are they spending it on "great stuff"? Greater stuff than me?

Or put another way, what am I lacking.

Am I lacking a mansion...yes...but, at least right now, I don't want a mansion.

One thing I lack is clean air. How can I get clean air? By fighting for Hydrogen. How much will it take? An infinite amount of human minds demanding the same...so...priceless!

Richard Branson can go do those things anytime he wants. Without thinking about cost. You have to save, and schedule time off, and fly in coach.. That you think about it, and balance those options against other things in your budget is... well you're too stupid to get the point if you don't already.

FLY in coach. the difference between a private jet and tourist class is not the difference between Rastignac walking all the way across Paris in the rain and Goriot's daughter's lover pulling up in a fly carriage. also cheapo cars r catching up to lux cars in use value. sure wages haven't grown much, but manufactured goods r considerably cheaper

the real story isn't bout inheritance, but bout real estate prices in desirable cities. build build build!

Bailo try Nicaragua, Costa Rica, or Panama next time. They're all safe, inexpensive and beautiful

Noam Chomsky tells us that the state has routinely subsidized tech innovation, to great effect. Our new geopolitical peer or near-peer, and the growing number of countries with large GDPs, should prompt more R&D than ever, no?

@4 is correct. We live in a Marxist society of Class but we pretend that Party Members of the Elite "earn" their inherited Dachaus or ignore them staying at 5,000 acre "ranches" with friends. Same thing, different trappings.