Are the Rich Necessary?

Part One: The Central Economic Problem

1. Why Are We Still So Poor?

2. The Appeal of Science

3. Economic Arguments

Part Two: The Rich

4. Are the Rich Necessary?—No

5. Are the Rich Necessary?—Yes

Part Three: The Rich in a Democracy

6. Are the Rich Compatible with Democracy?—No

7. Are the Rich Compatible with Democracy?—Yes

Part Four: Profit-making

8. Are Private Profits Necessary?—No

9. Are Private Profits Necessary?—Yes

10. Are Private Profits Necessary?—No/Yes

Part Five: Glaring Inequality

11. Are There Alternatives to the Profit System?—Yes/No

12. Should We Accept This Degree of Inequality?—No/Yes

Part Six: Greed

13. Does the Profit System Glorify Greed?—Yes

14. Does the Profit System Glorify Greed?—Yes, and a Good Thing

15. Does the Profit System Glorify Greed?—No

Part Seven: Government

16. Can Government Protect Us from the Excesses of the Profit System?—Yes

17. Can Government Protect Us from the Excesses of the Profit System?—No

Part Eight: Profit-making and Depressions

18. Does the Profit System Cause Depressions?—Yes/No

Part Nine: Central Banks

19. Can Central Banks Protect Us from Depressions and Lead the Economy?—Yes

20. Can Central Banks Protect Us from Depressions and Lead the Economy?—No

Part Ten: The Global Profit System

21. Does Global Free Trade Destroy Jobs?—Yes

22. Does Global Free Trade Destroy Jobs?—No

Part Eleven: Four Economic Value Systems

23. Competing Economic Value Systems

Part Twelve: Reconciling Opposing Viewpoints

24. Expanding the Nonprofit Sector

Appendices

A. What Is a "Fair" Price?