Rich Getting Richer

By James Pynn

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.

So, the argument I like to bring up is: if it's old money that drives the market, 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 for the short term. That trend died off in the early 2000s and left many would-be millionaires coming up short.

The popular truism maintains the rich only get richer. If so, how is it possible for most would-be investors to break into the game? The answer comes to us in that most-reviled entity, the corporation. Though the corporation has suffered a terrible (and often deserved) reputation for crass greediness, it can be a wonderful mechanism for generating wealth. Breaking into the upper percentiles of income requires venture capital and an effective business model.

J.P Morgan didn't fall from a money tree. Steve Jobs didn't just open a window and let money fly in. "It takes money to make money" is a truism for a reason, but not for reasons most people with inheritances think. It takes venture capital to start a business -- it takes seed money to get an idea off the ground. Where this money comes from is not as important as what is funds and who benefits from its investment.

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. - 16931

About the Author:

Joining the Ten Percent Club make take a fair amount of smart, savvy day trading. Don't trade stocks online without a great team of people behind you.