Wealth needs power to survive!

[Soldroplet]

This is exactly why you always see billionaires ending up buying media companies and lobbying politicians. If you don't build around politics with your capital, the State will eventually just legislate it away from you. This is just the reality very few people truly understand, and it's where voluntary transaction stops being as beneficial as engaging in coercion, and why the State (the conquerors) exists in the first place.

It is easier to build wealth than sustaining it and that is why many people who seize wealth or it is handed down to them without knowing how to sustain it eventually fails along the way because it takes more than sitting on top of money to continue being wealthy. If you're not aligned with the powers that be they can become envious and plot some policies against your wealth just to see it go down and that is why a lot of billionaires are friends with politicians that makes laws in a country to protect their businesses. Doing business at the top and having massive wealth requires being hardworking and informed especially on the things that can go against your wealth especially competitors and the government of the day.

I really like your perspective, especially the way you highlight the importance of protecting wealth rather than acquiring it, which is a matter of concern.
We see the same thing in nature. Once a tiger has established its claim on prey, its work is not over, but it has to have the strength to defend that claim. If it loses its strength, other animals can take advantage and snatch the prey. So, the same reality applies to wealth; not only acquiring it, but also the ability to defend it is an important part.

[Unknown Op]

It is true that wealth depends on more than just money but I think it overstates the role of power. Wealth create influence where as the power cannot preserve wealth if the underlying business has stopped creating values in many stable society's the protection for wealth is not the political influence or the ability to retailiate. There are many successful entrepreneurs who are running their businesses successfully without having any political power because if the legal system is transparent it is protecting their investment. They are focusing on customer satisfaction and long time investment rather than making political alliances. Influence and network always provide temporary protection but for long lasting wealthy ultimately depend on providing values to people who are willing to pay for your products.

Creating values is the basic foundation of successful business and I agree with your this statement but I do not think that power is something that we can separate from wealth easily if we look at the reality we come to know that those who have influence they have much easier access to the opportunities and favourable regulations and they also have much easier access to financial support as compared to the ordinary entrepreneurs cannot obtain. Even there are countries who have very strong legal system and spend significant resources on lobbying because the influence help them to protect and expand their interest. If the product is great but still it does not guarantee success if the competitors of it have more political and economic power they can easily shape their markets in their own favour so power always play a major role in multiplying and preserving wealth over time.

[Cheema02]

Wealth needs to be protected. "If you can't hold it, then it's not yours." So there is a need for power. However, in reality, wealth is just one of the means to achieve an end. The real goal is always power. Power, in turn, can never come from wealth alone. Power cannot be bought. Such is, for example, political, religious, or even criminal power, in the origin of which money often has an auxiliary meaning. In general, there is a good book by M. Khazin "Stairway to Heaven" about the theory of power.

Yes, It's true that wealth and power has very close relation and if both merge than the individuals becomes unstoppable and it's also very realistic point that with just money we don't earn or purchase power because with money and wealth a lot of professional doors can be opened and always power comes through leadership, knowledge and with strong network. In history a lot of wealthy individuals can be seen with little break influence but some individuals seems very strong with a limited resources and they shape societies and nations with their dicsions. At the same time along with power wealth is the main tool of security and opportunities which leads to individuals through success side. So the learning point is that the combination of wealth and resources when meet then a strong individual make history.

[abhiseshakana]

Life is like a jungle where only the strong survive. The weak will be consumed by the strong if they don't develop means to protect themselves. This might be the reason why most rich people want to have access to political power to enable them to protect their wealth.

This is a great analogy. If someone is not punished for bad behavior, it might become the norm because others would join. In China, corrupt politicians in some cases receive harsh punishment. This might be why that country is undergoing economic growth: political office holders are scared of stealing.

In modern world we must redefined power, as we know that wealth is already a form of power, which is economic power and it can be also one of power sources. Wealth give fastrack access and also provide many option and choices to capital, information, opportunity which many people doesn't have. I see dependence on other power such as political influence are costly and not sustainable, regime can change anytime, today it can certainly protect wealth in some situation but when regime change it can be upside down and become high cost liability.

I think, what can preserve wealth across eras and generations are competitive advantages which actually others can not easily copy, replace or ruined it. These is a combination something we can created or build with innate advantages. For me stronger competitive advantages bringing stronger shield for our wealth.

We can notice from some experience of historical figure that trust is the most strongest competitive advantages and still relative in todays world, having it mean unlimited access to wider opportunity that can easily boost our wealth, but trust is also the hardest competitive advantages we can achieve. Other competitive advantages we can work on it are skill, reputation, branding, inovation, networking, and efficiency. So in the end the most valuable asset are our ability on creating competitive advantages

Bad public official use power to become wealthy by their position legally or illegally. When the law enforced, fraud punished and human and property right protected, everybody feel safe because  legal institutions are fair and sound protecting wealth. Different threat different solution not all can be solve with access to political power.

[Olatundespo]

This is exactly why you always see billionaires ending up buying media companies and lobbying politicians. If you don't build around politics with your capital, the State will eventually just legislate it away from you. This is just the reality very few people truly understand, and it's where voluntary transaction stops being as beneficial as engaging in coercion, and why the State (the conquerors) exists in the first place.

It is easier to build wealth than sustaining it and that is why many people who seize wealth or it is handed down to them without knowing how to sustain it eventually fails along the way because it takes more than sitting on top of money to continue being wealthy. If you're not aligned with the powers that be they can become envious and plot some policies against your wealth just to see it go down and that is why a lot of billionaires are friends with politicians that makes laws in a country to protect their businesses. Doing business at the top and having massive wealth requires being hardworking and informed especially on the things that can go against your wealth especially competitors and the government of the day.

I really like your perspective, especially the way you highlight the importance of protecting wealth rather than acquiring it, which is a matter of concern.
We see the same thing in nature. Once a tiger has established its claim on prey, its work is not over, but it has to have the strength to defend that claim. If it loses its strength, other animals can take advantage and snatch the prey. So, the same reality applies to wealth; not only acquiring it, but also the ability to defend it is an important part.

It is true that it is more difficult to acquire wealth than to protect it, but I also believe that a person who has acquired wealth through discipline and perseverance knows the right strategy to keep that wealth. Before starting to accumulate digital assets, especially Bitcoin, one should be aware of the seed phrase and security key of the wallet. The purpose is to transfer it to multiple safe places to ensure proper protection of the acquired wealth. Every investor should be aware of this issue because it is important to be knowledgeable about protection before acquiring Bitcoin.

To protect traditional and real wealth, you need to live a disciplined life because excessive luxury can quickly lead to losing that wealth. Living with perseverance and discipline without showing harshness in practically every aspect of life, is a prerequisite for wealth growth

[viljy]

Wealth needs to be protected. "If you can't hold it, then it's not yours." So there is a need for power. However, in reality, wealth is just one of the means to achieve an end. The real goal is always power. Power, in turn, can never come from wealth alone. Power cannot be bought. Such is, for example, political, religious, or even criminal power, in the origin of which money often has an auxiliary meaning. In general, there is a good book by M. Khazin "Stairway to Heaven" about the theory of power.

There are two sides to protection here.

One is you letting the world knows as you can't stay anonymous to yourself and those around you, such person needs all protection they can get, political involvement and fundings of political people to gain more power.

To the world this makes some people to be scared of wealthy people, they will remain untouchable but let's say the truth, wealthy people get neutralised by same people that are supposed to protect them, I can't even count how many have died in the hands of politicians.

The second is where I prefer, stay anonymous forever, the type shit that Nakamoto played, he is the richest of them all, I even like anonymous for who he is, the man in the mask that no one can uncovered, sorry my life is just way easier living this way.

Real power cannot be anonymous. Power may be non-public when the "grey cardinals" have power, but not anonymous. But anonymous wealth is nonsense. Why? Because such a person is always tense and has to live in fear. Also, such a person cannot fully enjoy the fruits of his wealth for fear of losing anonymity. That's what great wealth is without power (defenseless wealth, often acquired by accident).

[G_Besar]

I really like your perspective, especially the way you highlight the importance of protecting wealth rather than acquiring it, which is a matter of concern.
We see the same thing in nature. Once a tiger has established its claim on prey, its work is not over, but it has to have the strength to defend that claim. If it loses its strength, other animals can take advantage and snatch the prey. So, the same reality applies to wealth; not only acquiring it, but also the ability to defend it is an important part.

What you said is also part of an example that is easily understood by many, so the metaphor of preserving existing wealth is no longer difficult for everyone to grasp. But for me, both are equally difficult to achieve because nowadays acquiring wealth is not easy, and maintaining it also requires special methods and mature knowledge so that the wealth is not immediately lost to us. Because even rich people can fall into poverty in an instant if they don't know or are not smart enough to manage and protect their wealth.

[danherbias07]

True.

Imagine a very wealthy man who lives in the slums. Every man there will probably have an evil intention against him just to claim all that wealth. But when a wealthy man gains power and connections from the authorities or government officials, you cannot even touch them anymore. Just the thought of robbing their wealth comes to mind, but it will never be done.

I agree that wealth needs power to survive, especially if it is a big wealth that we are talking about. Money that will flow for a long time and probably be a family business. Actually, power will come to them as many investors will come in and offer something for money. So, there are times when it automatically comes to the wealthy man.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

That is why wealth creates opportunities but power preserves it.
The greatest fortunes rarely survived through money alone. (Even Elon Musk once aligned with Donald Trump) The greatest fortunes survive because they were surrounded by network, institutions, reputation, political influence, strategic alliances, or capabilities that made attacking them expensive.

The is an exceptional thread and you are absolutely right with all that you have said.
Many people mistake wealth as being the same as power, they believe that once they become wealthy, they automatically become powerful but unfortunately, this is not  true and from several experiences of other people around the world, we can confirm that indeed the reality is always different.

There is this highlife music I usually listen to from time to time, the singer said, "when a man makes money, that is when a man become wealthy, he should try and get authority, after getting authority, you then chase after getting power, after getting power, you look for how to acquire power of uncumbency, once you've reached a level where you have power of uncumbency backing you, you have truly made it and at this level, you are guaranteed that men can hardly bring you down no matter what except nature decides to act against you.

[Akbarkoe]

I would rather agree if the sentence is "wealth requires knowledge (intelligence) to preserve it" the word to refute it is if someone who is rich then try to find power by thinking to preserve his wealth but on the one hand he is not so smart it will be useless too, which actually makes his wealth decrease, we know that financing political relations is not cheap, especially if you run yourself to get a seat of government that costs much more expensive.

And the fact behind it is if there are rich people who are getting richer are those who know how to get power at a much cheaper price but can be a strong position.

[pawanjain]

We only dream of being wealthy but never know what comes along with it. The path to becoming wealthy might not be straight forward.
OP is correct because we do need power and only then we can influence the world and keep it unwanted trouble away from ourself.
Too much wealth attracts unwanted visitors and that is something we cannot tackle at times.
But with power and money we can solve any problem. Also, just like we need power to sustain wealth, we need wealth to stay in power as well.
So both goes hand in hand and is obviously a strong combination.

[suhadi88]

I really like your perspective, especially the way you highlight the importance of protecting wealth rather than acquiring it, which is a matter of concern.
We see the same thing in nature. Once a tiger has established its claim on prey, its work is not over, but it has to have the strength to defend that claim. If it loses its strength, other animals can take advantage and snatch the prey. So, the same reality applies to wealth; not only acquiring it, but also the ability to defend it is an important part.

A reasonable analogy: this is where cadre development is needed for what has been achieved. Creating something big requires significant effort, requiring a lot of time, energy, and other important resources to reach the desired goal.

It's true that achieving what we desire is sometimes easy, and sometimes requires a lot of hard work. I agree that to ensure sustainability, proper management is essential, ensuring that future generations can benefit from it. But the difficulty lies in this volatile asset. Mental toughness, courage, and fear always come to haunt us, especially if we take a wrong step.

[Chilwell]

Politicians need the support of rich people to survive as well, so it is kind of mutual understanding with both parties to survive. That is why government always creates the economic policies in the support of rich individual over millions of average voters, they don't really have any say in it, the democracy is just a big joke that is always manipulated by the influence of many factors.

Democracy wasn't dropped from the sky, it is all manipulated by human and that is why they easily turn it around the way they want it, yes politicians also again their support from all this rich people and that is why after the succeeded in getting to power, they use that influence to protect these people which I am so much confidence that all this kind of understanding have to be written and agreed with both parties. These are always the reason why government concentrate on few individuals, because of the their agreement and that is why we all notice that those rich people have been protected with heavy security, meaning their businesses are being protected from any harm including tax and so many things.