"The justness of a distribution is not only a matter of numbers. For example, consider the unequal distribution of running trophies. Most people who have them are or were runners, and even among runners, there is a small percentage who have a large percentage of the trophies."
"Those who defend the unequal distribution of wealth often claim competition for it is analogous to that of running trophies: the competition is open, the competition is fair, and the reward is justly earned by competing well."
"The obvious problem is that these claims are simply not true. Those who start out in a wealthy family might not make their money by inheritance, but they enjoy a significant starting advantage over those born into less affluent families."
Wealth distribution in human societies consistently follows a pyramid shape, where a small elite controls a large portion of wealth while the majority holds little. The justness of this inequality is debated, as not all disproportional distributions are unjust. For instance, the distribution of running trophies is seen as fair due to open competition. However, the argument for wealth inequality based on fair competition is flawed, as individuals from wealthy families have inherent advantages that skew the competition.
Read at A Philosopher's Blog
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