[afro-nets] Dwarfs and giants

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

Dwarfs and giants
-----------------

From: Richard S. Gilbert - Ithaca, NY
- Cornell University Conference on Ethics, Globalization and
Hunger: In Search of Appropriate Policies - November 17-19, 2004

In his 1980 book "Wealth, Income and Equality" Dutch economist
Jan Pen develops a graphic metaphor to convey the extent of
wealth disparity in Western democracies. He asks the reader to
imagine a parade of people where everyone's height is propor-
tional to his or her individual wealth. A person of average
wealth is represented by a person of average height.

The parade begins with the smallest (the poorest) at the front
with the rich bringing up the rear in a one-hour parade. The
first marchers are actually buried several feet beneath the
ground since they have negative net worth - they owe more wealth
than they own. For approximately 20 minutes there are invisible
marchers, for they own no wealth.

After half an hour there are dwarfs - people about six inches
tall, whose wealth is household furniture, a car and perhaps a
small savings account. "But a surprise awaits us," writes Pen.
"We keep on seeing dwarfs. Of course they gradually become a
little taller, but it's a slow process."

Only at about twelve minutes before the hour do we begin seeing
people of average height, for more than three quarters of the
world's population have fewer assets than average. In the last
few minutes "giants loom up... a lawyer, not exceptionally suc-
cessful, eighteen feet tall".

In the last few seconds, there are people so tall we cannot even
see their heads, the corporate managing directors a hundred
yards tall. "The rear of the parade is brought up by a few par-
ticipants who are measured in miles... their heads disappear
into the clouds.... The last man, whose back we can see long af-
ter the parade has passed by, is John Paul Getty (this was be-
fore Bill Gates).... His height is inconceivable: at least ten
miles; perhaps twice as much."[1]

--
[1] Jan Pen: Wealth, Income and Equality.