@ Trimix

Stop moaning and go and create some wealth and spend it

So many jokes in my head bursting to get out in response to that!

Interestingly I used to work for a global charity that benefited from a donation from one wealthy individual. He gave us $500 million US dollars.

He was wealthy because he was clever, not greedy. I met him several times because it was my job to report back to him on what we had spent his money on. I felt he was doing it not because of some moral obligation or guilt at being so rich. He did it because he felt it would make a difference and he could afford to do it. Thats no different to my motivations toward charitable causes and Im poor. His particular government wouldnt do it because their hands were tied due to thier religious beliefs.

Go on, lets have a laugh 🙂

Nah it's alright Ainsley… 😉

Without people striving to make a fortune lots of others would be without a job/product

Are you sure ? If the top house builders in the country weren't paying themselves nice big fat salaries, no one would be building houses ? 😕

"Imagine if no one wanted to make big profits from manufacturing mountain bikes. "

I think you might be confusing making a profit with making a fortune. As I understood it, the OP was talking about making a fortune.

"Greed is what kept the human race alive when things got tough."

Do you mean like when things got really tough during World War 2 ?

Trimix –

Greed works for the poor as well as the wealthy. Greed is what kept the human race alive when things got tough. ……….He was wealthy because he was clever, not greedy.

So greed isn't necessary after all 😕

Ernie, how much profit do you need before it becomes a fortune. Thats very subjective.

If you stop people getting rich here they will go somewhere else to do it.

"Without greed we would lack some of the drive needed to compete in a global market."

Money has to be spent to make jobs. By definition, rich people have hoarded money that should be spent.

Hoarding is OK if you are saving-up for something big, like a yacht or a nuclear power station, but hoarding for its own sake is bad.