William Graham Sumner

"Is it wicked to be rich? Is it mean to be a capitalist?" an who should bring up the point of which a person is too rich. These are questions Sumner brings up in his writing. The only anwer I could come up with is that, it is only wicked to be rich, or be a capitalist, if you do not put money back into society to help your fellow man. The only people who should not be rich are the greedy ones who won't put a peny into society or people who did not work to be rich. People like Paris Hilton do not deserve the nurishment of being rich, because the main reason they are at their status is because of their father. Don't get me wrong, I know there are rich people who put money into society, btu it is not enough.

Sumner brings up the point that if a clergyman were to work his way up from a man of poverty to a rich man is a good member of society. But as soon as he becomes rich, society views him as being suspicious, as a danger to the betterment of society. I agree with Sumner that this is wrong for society to view him as being a danger to society. The man worked he way up to being rich which is a great achievement for him and it should not be taken away from him.

Also I belive Sumner tries to bring up the point that there are naturally gifted/smart people in society who deserve the best. And that there are also people who just slack or are stupid and they deserve what they get. Also Sumner points out how the rich are good people, that if the working people ask the poor ask the rich to do something for them, the rich will comply.

After reading this document I still believe that people are do not deserve being rich only if they do not put money back into society. I think that if the rich are as good of people that Sumner states they are, the rich would put as much money as they could into fundations, charity, taxes, and more, since they have the money to put it in. They do not need the five cars and million dollar jewelry.