I agree that the gap was probably about as wide in some ancient civilizations as it is now, partly because the poor were so VERY poor.
Not, I think, in ancient Greece. Maybe in Egypt. Don't have any knowledge of China.
In England in the 1700s and 1800s, probably the very rich had as many multiples as the very poor. But I don't think there was anyone as wealthy, even in relative terms, as Rockefeller in his day, or Gates and Buffett in ours.
But I was thinking more of the US compared with the rest of the world. Corporate leaders in Europe, for example, simply don't take home 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 million dollar a year compensation. The ratio between the compensation paid to the highest paid and the lowest paid in a company in Europe or Japan is far, far narrower than in many US companies.
As to whether the globe can ever sustain our lifestyle for all its people, I frankly don't believe it, but I was wrong once before, so maybe this is time 2.
The rest of your points are well taken, except I do think the use of open sex for commercial promotion has negative impacts on a number of important social values. |
