Kevin Duffy on how the socialist sees inequality and wealth creation

Inequality is a blessing, not a problem.  Without it, specialization and trade (the division of labor) would not take place.  Trade, as long as it’s peaceful and voluntary, is mutually beneficial, win-win.  In other words, the more the merrier.  When the division of labor expands, good things happen, i.e. wealth increases. 

Of course, the distribution of this wealth will be uneven, depending on how adept individuals are at serving others.  But there’s nothing nefarious going on here.  In fact, entrepreneurs should be celebrated as they are the key drivers of human progress. 

Sadly, this is not how the socialist sees the world.  Instead, he sees a zero sum game, win-lose.  He assumes that those who accumulate great wealth must have stolen it from those who ended up with far less.  How, precisely, this theft takes place (when all transactions are voluntary), he can’t explain. 

Instead of forming a theory that models reality, the socialist bends reality to fit his theory. This is a fatal error, wreaking havoc on mankind, justifying government theft (win-lose) to correct an injustice that never existed.

~ Kevin Duffy, Quora answer, March 24, 2022