There are also other problems with this argument that do not directly stem from the logic of it, but rather from its interpretation of motivation and society. The argument that people should be allowed to be as successful as they can is certainly in keeping with the ideals of democracy, and cannot be argued against from any liberalist point-of-view. But without the many people who are not incredibly successful producing and consuming on a constant basis, no one would be able to achieve incredible success. Without a society in place with certain rules (i.e. laws) concerning conduct, business, worker's rights, etc., the situation would be worse than feudalism, and the American Dream of pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps would be completely obliterated, as there was simply no way to achieve class mobility in an upwards direction. Because the wealth that Americans can and do achieve is a product of...
[ View Full Essay]