| Rich Getting Richer |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by James Pynn |
| Sunday, 18 October 2009 18:02 |
|
Jim is a good friend of mine. He is a baby boomer and he is a money manager. He manages rich people's money and helps them become even richer. From what he tells me, though, there are more wealthy families in the United States that have inherited their fortunes than those that have created fortunes from scratch. He would know -- in order to become one of his clients you have to have a net value of at least $1 million. It's a rather odd thing to consider the bulk of the money making its ways through the market is so-called "old" money.
Jim is a good friend of mine. He is a baby boomer and he is a money manager. He manages rich people's money and helps them become even richer. From what he tells me, though, there are more wealthy families in the United States that have inherited their fortunes than those that have created fortunes from scratch. He would know -- in order to become one of his clients you have to have a net value of at least $1 million. It's a rather odd thing to consider the bulk of the money making its ways through the market is so-called "old" money. This begs the question: if old money drives the economy, how does new money ever enter the picture? Where does the average working Joe fit into the picture? What about the middle class? When does the middle class get to ante up to the investment table? During the 1990s we saw more day traders buying and selling in frenzy to make it into the top 10 percent. Of course, only 1 percent of those people ever made the grade. So is it the privilege of the rich to only get richer? How can an eager entrepreneur break into the top ten percent of the world's wealthiest people? Enter the corporation. Why is the Western World replete with so many corporations? Because it takes a whole board room of upper-middle-class business men to front the start up money. Venture capitalism is a powerful counter-balance to inheritance. Bill Gates didn't just open a window and let money fly in. He had a great idea and a solid business model. Moreover, he had the necessary seed money to start his own business. Microsoft started with pennies in the bank and has become a technological and finance force around the world. This did not necessarily need "old" money to get off the ground -- it just need enough money to start. Here is a fun fact: the richest people on the planet become even richer during economic downturns and depressions. How is this? Recessions and depressions have a tendency to destroy competition, therefore consolidating the wealth of the super rich. Competition is not in the best interests of the super-rich. Consequently, it is the corporate structure -- justifiably attacked for its lack of transparency -- that allows new wealth to be created and more people to participate in that wealth. Most corporations are started by venture capitalists and entrepreneurs -- and that entrepreneurial spirit is what has made the middle class and nouveau riche possible. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. Joining the Ten Percent Club make take a good amount of smart, savvy day trading. Don't trade stocks online without a great team of people behind you. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here. |