Chapter 10 of the CQ reader discusses wealth and inequality within the USA, which should simply be relabeled as the age old problem, which most likely will never be solved.  Throughout human history, there have been those who have, and those who don’t.  Be they Roman Patricians vs. Plebeians, Medieval Lords versus Serfs, the Bourgeoisie versus the Proletariat, to todays 1% versus the impoverished, humans have always gravitated towards systems where few owned the majority of the wealth, while doing so upon the labor of the many.  Furthermore, US history, spanning from things such as the Whiskey Excise through FDR’s New Deal and Reagan’s visits to the Bronx, has revolved around discussions regarding income and wealth inequality, and what measures should be taken to combat it, and what measures cross the line in the battle.

By definition, Capitalism is the pursuit of private wealth, and this pursuit tends to leave a majority of people behind, so two discussions could be had based off the discussions in chapter 10, either the abandonment of Capitalism, or the reformation of our economic system. Specifically, I am not necessarily concerned or surprised by the fact that in 2012, it was determined that the 1% controlled the most capital since the Depression.  Rather, what I would prefer was investigated, and it does not seem that it has been, is how we are going about creating wealth for everybody.  Simply put, I am unconvinced that taxing the wealthy will accomplish anything except for to increase the size of the welfare state, which will in turn exacerbate the issue at hand.  As in, the notion of 96% of federal taxes coming from the 1% as the text suggests at one point is preposterous in my mind.  These are simply symptoms and distractions of a greater issue.  Within the system that the US currently works under, it is possible for the creation of new wealth.  Rather, we are allowing ourselves to wallow in a system where the minority create and collect this wealth, rather than develop ways for everyone to benefit from this creation.

Historically speaking, increased spending on the military has led to an uptick in the economy, but it would behoove us to investigate alternative methods to find ways for everyone to benefit, including both the wealthy and the impoverished, which does not include exorbitant taxes or the redistribution of wealth.  This solution very well may not conform to increased taxes, such as those Democrats tend to support, or decreased taxes, such as those Republicans tend to support, in that both these systems cause temporary either upturns or downturns in the economy, without effecting the wealth gap or any long term benefits.  Rather we should try to step off the merry go round we have found ourselves in since the new deal, with liberal Presidents increasing taxes and the welfare state four years, and then conservative Presidents reversing these measures every four years, to the point that we have tended to stagnate and make no true progress.