Prosperity is quite distinctly a ground up process, not top down; millions of people bartering, trading, creating, selling and working to better their individual lives.
A fellow named Dunsmuir came out to Vancouver Island from Scotland as a paid employee to manage coal mines and became one of the 10 wealthiest men in the world during his lifetime.
Bill Gates started in his father’s garage and became one of the 10 wealthiest men in our contemporary world.
I am sorry to say I knew a very wealthy Victorian who owned a museum and a hotel who died penniless in a care facility. Huge corporations die just as small companies replace them.
What a pity that the Occupy movement bemoans the wealth of others. There will always be those who make more money than you do. Effort, talent and work will be the end results of an individual’s life. If you think governments will better your life, think again. Prosperity starts with individuals, not collectivization. Governments redistribute wealth, they don’t create it. I suggest a great Christmas read to my fellow Victorians: The Rational Optomist by Matt Ridley
Please note: I do not believe a life spent accumulating wealth is necessarily a life well spent.
Patrick Skillings
Victoria