Who are the wealth creators?
The right says the answer is rich people, not workers — who are wealth destroyers
By Michael Lind
Sept. 7, 2009
Today is Labor Day, when we celebrate the wealth destroyers – at least if the libertarian right is to be believed.
According to many free-market conservatives, economic growth is almost exclusively the result of investment decisions by a small number of rich individuals – the “wealth creators.”
The wealth creators, according to the conservative press, are constantly being threatened from above by government, which seeks to destroy wealth by taxation, and from below by workers, particularly those organized into unions, who threaten to destroy wealth by insisting that capitalists share a decent amount of their profits with employees. The entire basis of conservative “trickle-down” economics is the idea that the economy will grow faster if the supposed wealth creators keep more of the profits of private enterprise, with less going to taxes and worker compensation.
If you believe this theory, then Labor Day should be a cause for national mourning. We should all pause to mourn the loss of capital that might have gone to a fifth or a sixth mansion or a private jet, but instead was conscripted against its will to pay for a public school or higher wages in a factory.
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Actually, Labor Day was created to replace May Day (the original holiday celebrating labor unions) when it became perceived as “Communist”– especially after it became an official Soviet holiday.
I think Labor Day should be the day that we celebrate all women who’ve gone through labor! 😆 I know we have Mother’s Day, but I want a special day devoted to the pain of birth! :yes:
Wow! I had no idea at all. That’s some good info right there! :up: