I think talking about earning is inherently talking about the creation of value, right? Wealth is arguably the proceeds of past value, work income, or income from a new enterprise the proceeds of current value.
There are definitely benefits to rewarding creating new value, I'll grant that. The invisible hand of economics helps distribute value fairly between equals.
But often the rewards of value are monetary, and are captured by those who already have money and power because of past value creation, rather then distributed according to the contributions of all individuals who participated in work.
Power and money further distort the abilities of less fortunate individuals to gain just compensation for their efforts.
I see that as exploitative and problematic. I think it also arguably undermines new enterprises and new value that might have been created had the work that people were doing been rewarded in an equitable manner.
And it's not like this system of exploitation is new, so the wealth that has been accrued by families is itself suspect.
There are definitely benefits to rewarding creating new value, I'll grant that. The invisible hand of economics helps distribute value fairly between equals.
But often the rewards of value are monetary, and are captured by those who already have money and power because of past value creation, rather then distributed according to the contributions of all individuals who participated in work.
Power and money further distort the abilities of less fortunate individuals to gain just compensation for their efforts.
I see that as exploitative and problematic. I think it also arguably undermines new enterprises and new value that might have been created had the work that people were doing been rewarded in an equitable manner.
And it's not like this system of exploitation is new, so the wealth that has been accrued by families is itself suspect.