Verified Document

Rules America Bill Domhoff Outlines Research Paper

Thus, investors are taxed at low rates and CEOs receive high pay specifically because they deserve it. Thus, the facts are not contested by any side of this debate. The reality is that one must draw the line somewhere with respect to what sort of society one prefers to live in. The wealthy seek political power because they want to design a society in which they receive most of the benefits of opportunity while avoiding as much of the cost (taxation, regulation) as possible. Their ideal society probably already exists somewhere in the developing world, but alas American voters have sought to strike a more balanced approach to opportunity and cost. Many Americans -- some of them among the wealthy -- argue that too much wealth disparity is harmful to the country. First, as many Americans as possible should have the opportunity to succeed, something that does not come from a life of poverty, poor education, poor health, hunger and substandard living conditions. The social safety net, this side argues, should not be sacrificed so that the wealthy can have a little bit more of that wealth.

The wealthy who stand in opposition to such thinking do not hold a social safety net in as high a regard. They simply do not need it, and in many cases cannot understand why anybody would. In all likelihood, they have not been anywhere needing such a safety net for a long time, if ever. Their priorities, therefore, are elsewhere, and typically emphasize freedom of opportunity. They have the means to succeed, and with more opportunity...

Creating more investment opportunities is simply not important for those who have no money to invest. This is Domhoff's central point. Wealth disparity makes it more difficult for those who are not already wealthy to enjoy success. Those who are already wealthy ensure that government policy, especially tax policy, is suited to their needs. This allows them to enjoy almost all of the new wealth that is created. They might well be creating that wealth and therefore entitled to it, but other Americans see reduced opportunity to create wealth. The result is a society that has high wealth disparity, and ultimately one must come to a judgment about whether or not this is a good thing, and that judgment will probably guide one's views on taxation, government policy and the desired form of American society.
Works Cited:

Domhoff, B. (no date). Who rules America: Wealth, income and power. In possession of the author.

Buffett, W. (2011). Stop coddling the super-rich. New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html

Allen, F. (2012). Sarbanes-Oxley 10 years later: Boards are still the problem. Forbes. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2012/07/29/sarbanes-oxley-10-years-later-boards-are-still-the-problem/

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited:

Domhoff, B. (no date). Who rules America: Wealth, income and power. In possession of the author.

Buffett, W. (2011). Stop coddling the super-rich. New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html

Allen, F. (2012). Sarbanes-Oxley 10 years later: Boards are still the problem. Forbes. Retrieved September 22, 2012 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2012/07/29/sarbanes-oxley-10-years-later-boards-are-still-the-problem/
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Wealth of Nations Adam Smith,
Words: 4050 Length: 13 Document Type: Book Report

For Hobbes, individuals must be a larger population beneath authority, and those individuals must, by the very nature of the perpetuation of the species, cede all rights and control over to that authority. It is also well within the natural rule of law that there might be abuses of authority, and that even though rebellion might be expected, it is up to the individual to maintain that the State

Wealth & Happiness Surveys Have Indicated That
Words: 1379 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Wealth & Happiness Surveys have indicated that although citizens of the United Kingdom earn double the income they earned forty years ago, they find themselves less happy. There is no shortage of fables that support this story -- from Ebenezer Scrooge to Willy Loman the pursuit of wealth in modern society has often led to unhappiness in one form or another. Yet the myth that connections wealth to happiness remains powerful

Wealth and Capital Related to Race and Crime
Words: 405 Length: 1 Document Type: Essay

Wealth and Captial Wealth and Capital: Relationship with Race and Crime Income and wealth are two very different animals- someone's income constitutes their salary, hourly wage and other forms of income; but, wealth is a different term that embodies several different forms of having cash- wealth includes net worth which includes homes, cars, and stock portfolios, among other things. Though these concepts have definitions, in a sociological sense, wealth is reflected in

Wealth of Networks Communication General It Is
Words: 4609 Length: 14 Document Type: Research Paper

Wealth of Networks Communication (general) It is said that the Western culture is going through some sort of cultural war in terms of communication and technology (Braman 153-182). The battlegrounds are seen in the courts, the legislatures, international bodies, local communities, and distant countries that individually may not have much power to affect the outcome though they do have a vital interest in who wins. The war is global -- and is

Wealth the Benefits of Being Wealthy Are
Words: 545 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Wealth The benefits of being wealthy are numerous and varied. Perhaps the most obvious is the ability to live a comfortable lifestyle and enjoy indulgences that only someone with money can enjoy, such as exotic vacations, spending sprees at the mall, and grown-up toys such as luxury cars and boats. However there is perhaps a responsibility involved with wealth. Most truly wealthy people are major contributors, donors, and sponsors of various charitable

Wealth Management My Personal Wealth
Words: 951 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

When I am 37 years old, I check my investments and discover that I now have a portfolio of approximately $128,000. During the preceding 7 years I have fathered three children (two boys and a girl) and they are now at an age where the private schools they attend are costing me an arm and a leg, the house my spouse and I purchased is quite extravagant, and the two

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now