Wealth needs power to survive!

[CTO114]

A wise man once told; "In nature, if a monkey hoarded one trillion bananas, the other monkeys would beat that monkey to death and take its bananas." It sounds persuasive, until you confuse wealth with inventory. Imagine the monkeys do exactly that. That kill the richest monkey, convinced they are about to divide unimaginable riches among themselves. Justice has been served, equality restored. But when they gather around the fortune, there is no mountain of bananas waiting for them.
The trillion bananas were ownership in a company that grew banana farms, built irrigation systems, designed banana launching rockets. And supplied distant troops that could not grow bananas themselves. The wealth existed because one monkey was organizing capital, coordinating labour, taking risks, and solving problems that no one else could.

This reveals a distinction that envy rarely understands. Wealth is often not s pile of assets waiting to be divided. It is the continuous output of knowledge, leadership, organization and judgement. Destroy the source and the stream dries up. It also explain why wealth alone is never enough.

The wealthy are perpetual targets of resentment, often from those who already possess considerable wealth. Success attracts competitors, great success attracts coalitions.

Power changes that calculation. When people sense that wealth is protected by influence, alliances, institutional support or the capacity to retaliate, their envy usually remains inside their minds. They may still resent you, but they become far more careful acting on that resentment. Power transforms hostile intentions into private thoughts.

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.

[Grace333]

Such an exceptional thread, wealth can only be preserved with power be it knowledge or connection to different powerful sources. Any wealth that is passed down without  power is likely to diminish to nothingness as though it never existed. Primarily it's good to build wealth but every person with this drive must also consider power as an important asset to acquire in other to sustain the wealth. The wealthy people understand this and that's why they continually seek knowledge that adds more value to their power and wealth.

[Anayochukwu]

I think the type of wealth you are talking about that needs power to survive are the ones that are seen and available to the public eye, like politicians and people that serves the public. I'm a very private person and obviously when I become wealthy it will be very difficult for people to envy me because envy can't attack what it can't see as I will keep a very low profile while living my best life. Elon musk type of wealth is the type that is visible by nature so he needs the alliance because he is bound to attract competitors and people will surely envy him because he made himself available and known, and it might interest you to know that there are people that are running a wealthy private companies without showing their face to the world because they understand that showing their face would deprive them of their peace of mind. So I'm saying that wealth only needs power to survive if you put yourself out there in public.

[BlackHatCoiner]

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.

[Exitoral]

Wealth naturally creates envy and that is why the wealthy seek protection at all cost. But if you so desire that security won't it later hurt you? For example one becomes totally dependent on an alliance or government of entity. Even as the wealth requires power to protect, what kind of power are we looking at?

I want to chip in Bitcoin as it serves a better purpose of power shift. Traditionally, wealth depends on government, banks, institutions and so on. But Bitcoin came to shift that power to individuals personally. From what you are pointing out, it seems you are mostly referring to the government. Which is quite alright. But if you focus on just the government, are you now saying there is no other form of power?

Why do I ask that, taking a look at the analogy you gave about Elon musk and Trump. You can later see that they fell off. But Elon is still standing. That is to say there is another form of power protecting his wealth.

Another thing i took note was your monkey story. In as much that it matches what you are describing - but in today's world. Even founders leave their companies and the companies are still standing.

In all, wealth surely needs power. But that power that it is needed can still be built within. It's only a few instances that external bodies will help to protect.

[Obim34]

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.

This is a reason you don't see the wealthy businessmen comes out to speak in a suffering country, all businessmen are politically involved and play their roles significantly to government directives.

Every businesses owned by a wealthy person does have loopholes, if they don't work hand to hand with politicians, those with power can make things unbearable for their business not to flourish, a wealthy man is usually a friend of a politician, some even spread their wings into politics, these alignments is what keeps their investment flowing, even give them a chance over their competitors.

[Spaceman1000$]

No man is an island that's what they use to say, wealth creation needs the collaboration of like mind's, people that are ready to pay the price, so sometimes what you see on the surface as wealth is as a result of other people's support and patronage, so the idea of taking down the wealthy guy so you can access his wealth might not be that simple, because his wealth might be coming from different sources, so even when you do take him down, you cannot get the connection he has. However I want to support the idea that, wealth needs political patronage to either survive or grow stronger, this is because it helps you scare away potential enemies, especially when they know that you have the political power to deal with them if they try to infringe on your right through dubious means.

[KiaKia]

Nice one OP, we all have different definitions to wealth, I want to be wealthy in secrecy without becoming the face of the public, eye is very powerful, once set on you there is no going back, if you look like the perfect victim you are in trouble.

We all crave for different things in this world and my respect goes out to those who want to be wealthy enough in the face of the public, too much headaches it's going to be for me, I choose Bitcoin to stay off the rader and look average as I can.

When I got my first car I intentionally choose something small, just to blend in my own world where people don't mind their business, they always want to know, I can't risk getting even popular for having some earthly things.

[adultcrypto]

There is no single lie in this, wealth indeed need power to survive which is why most of the notable billionaires will never go against those in power because they know what power can do to their business. I remember some rich guys in my country, they try as much as they can to be in the good books of those in power. They do this by funding the elections of all the major contenders so that whoever wins will still be their person. This is how the rich play the power game, if they are not going to contest themselves.

[Juicyhome]

There is no single lie in this, wealth indeed need power to survive which is why most of the notable billionaires will never go against those in power because they know what power can do to their business. I remember some rich guys in my country, they try as much as they can to be in the good books of those in power. They do this by funding the elections of all the major contenders so that whoever wins will still be their person. This is how the rich play the power game, if they are not going to contest themselves.

I agree ,when you see a rich business man paying loyalty to the government don't see it as downgrading,  is just a strategy to be close to the government in order not to not be victimized , if you're rich and you're in opposition they government can make a law just to destroy your source. Wealth without power is like man that has only son, once his dead he loses everything. Power is the ultimate goal to sustain your wealth,  as a business man involve yourself in politics to protect your source.

[Satofan44]

This is only necessary in two main cases, if you want to be extremely wealthy such as the billionaire class or if you want to be somewhat wealthy but still show it off. In all other cases it is unnecessary, there are many wealthy people walking pass you some even in the hundreds of millions range and you would not even think that they own their own house. Those are the wise ones, they live in peace -- constantly worrying about your wealth and having to combat the issues that it causes with power is not the wiser of the two. Find me an extremely wealthy person that is objectively happy and peaceful, who has not ruined their life in one way or another. You could at best find a couple of examples, which in percentage terms confirms that this is accurate.

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.

Sure and that is all true for that level of wealth, but why would someone want to become that if they are already not in that "game" say through being a family member of such people? It is literally one of the worst lives that you can have after actual poverty.

[Accardo]

The power you talk about is strategy, wealth survive through optimized strategies, companies run by the rich and wealthy, would fall and crumble to pieces if the Admins fail to defend the operational margins of the firm or business.

[ndutndut]

Yes, what you say is very accurate and undeniable. It even happens in every country the wealthy are very close even interdependent with the government. So, the relationship between great wealth and political power cannot be separated. It's an open secret that wealth requires protection from regulations, taxes, government contracts, and even legal stability. On the other hand, power also requires funding for campaigns, networks, and legitimacy. So, this interdependence is considered normal, and it appears in almost every political system in every country.

You provide an excellent example of what's happening in the US where Elon is aligned with the government. Logically even though Elon is incredibly wealthy he still needs the government to run and maintain his business. Similarly in European and Asian countries entrepreneurs fund parties or ally with powerful rulers to secure infrastructure projects and licenses. Even in developing countries like my own it's even more extreme. Conglomerates often rent influence by financing elections, the media, and political parties to protect monopolies or access to natural resources. But not all billionaires are like this, there are some who are even anti government but this is very small.

[Fortify]

A wise man once told; "In nature, if a monkey hoarded one trillion bananas, the other monkeys would beat that monkey to death and take its bananas." It sounds persuasive, until you confuse wealth with inventory. Imagine the monkeys do exactly that. That kill the richest monkey, convinced they are about to divide unimaginable riches among themselves. Justice has been served, equality restored. But when they gather around the fortune, there is no mountain of bananas waiting for them.
The trillion bananas were ownership in a company that grew banana farms, built irrigation systems, designed banana launching rockets. And supplied distant troops that could not grow bananas themselves. The wealth existed because one monkey was organizing capital, coordinating labour, taking risks, and solving problems that no one else could.

This reveals a distinction that envy rarely understands. Wealth is often not s pile of assets waiting to be divided. It is the continuous output of knowledge, leadership, organization and judgement. Destroy the source and the stream dries up. It also explain why wealth alone is never enough.

The wealthy are perpetual targets of resentment, often from those who already possess considerable wealth. Success attracts competitors, great success attracts coalitions.

Power changes that calculation. When people sense that wealth is protected by influence, alliances, institutional support or the capacity to retaliate, their envy usually remains inside their minds. They may still resent you, but they become far more careful acting on that resentment. Power transforms hostile intentions into private thoughts.

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.

This ignores the fact that monkeys have not developed further intelligence. Intelligence that can harm an army and endless technology which can shield all but the most extreme responses. Billionaires don't fear a horde of average people attacking them, their armed security could handle that or at least cover them long enough to escape. They fear laws which could rebalance the world and target their obscene wealth, yet they do grubby little backroom deals or support politicians who will keep the status quo. Once you have a trillion dollars, you're no longer concerned with laws - any politician could be bought if you hang a hundred million dollars or even a billion in front of them. The richest just want to keep as much money as possible and will pay peanuts to keep that going.

[Bitcoin.com97]

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.

That is correct, wealth needs power to survive, lobbying those politicians many will not really understand what that means ,they are paving more ways for themselves and as well substaning the wealth they have acquires, some big business owners still need power and more connection,that is why it seems like they only associate with higher and more influencial people , wealth creation certainly needs collaboration In order substain it .

[Mhizlove]

For me ,i think the main lesson here is that creating wealth is not just about owning assets or money, but about creating of value that people need. If they system, knowledge and leadership behind that wealth goes away, the value can vanish or reduce which will not be good. Meanwhile, power can help protect wealth, but is not guaranteed for eternity. You see history has shown that those in business and the wealthy ones that fails to adapt to changing of the market, tech and pubic trust can still lose their position. At the end of the day, staying relevant and creating values is just as important as protecting what someone or you already have.

[ZAINmalik75]

Indeed. Wealth alone is not useful if it's not used in the right way, and the right way to use wealth is to create power through it, and make yourself powerful with the power of the wealth that you've created. This is the reason why the wealthy always choose the wealthy to be their friends or stay in contact with them, because they know they need power and connections, and they can only get it from those who are also powerful. A wealthy person will almost always have wealthy people in their circle, and that is not always because they like each and every person, but it is because they know they might need them at some point in life.

The example of monkeys and bananas you gave reminded me of how some people think of other people's wealth or their net worth. There are so many people in the world who believe that those who have net worths in billions or dollars, or maybe trillions like what Elon Musk got recently, people believe these people actually have that much money lying around, or maybe in their bank accounts, which is completely wrong, because the net worth of a person shows everything they own or have built over the years and how much are their value in present, and it is never about liquid assets.

[Freeveto]

Once you are wealthy, you get power since there is a belief that more commands power. You can’t have money and don’t have power over some certain things around you, it will not be possible because when you have money, you will be among those controlling the environment and will be close to leaders, your colleagues, neighbors, and even brothers will go after what you have to say just because you have the wealth, the power you will have that comes with the wealth protect you sometimes and sometimes brings you down.
Regardless, keep your wealth secret and be safe from either lacking power or environmental threats that comes with money.

[DiMarxist]

I get your point wealth is first build and developed in the intellectual state before actually materializing in the physical. There will nothing be called like wealth if there is no man who will be able to prudently manage resources, set up business mechanisms that will solve problems of the day to day going of life. So I agree that wealth needs power to survive in this case lies surely with man. Just like the monkey story that you have mentioned on your thread many poor, lazy and unproductive people in life always blame the rich for not doing enough and put all their problems on the rich. Always calling out the rich using the least opportunity to vent their anger.

[Adiljutt156]

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.