Скачать или смотреть Us vs. Them: The Cost of Zero-Sum Politics

Today, I’m continuing my zero-sum series by talking about how this mindset shapes how people think about wealth and its distribution and how this connects to political philosophy.

If you start from a belief that wealth is a finite resource then any significant accumulation of wealth by one person or group implies that others have been deprived. So, it’s easy to see how this viewpoint naturally lends itself to political arguments favoring redistribution of wealth.

A zero-sum mindset encourages simplistic solutions based on taking from one group to give to another, rather than seeking out innovative approaches that could expand opportunities for all or effectively address root causes of difficult issues.

Even worse, when politics is consistently framed as a zero-sum battle, it leads to cynicism and apathy.