Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-220) and index.

"Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men in the world, was worth over $60 billion in 2008. Does he "deserve" all this money? Ask Buffett himself and he will acknowledge that "society is responsible for a very significant percentage of what I've earned."" "Taking a cue from Buffett's candid admission. Unjust Deserts poses an entirely original challenge to the lopsided distribution of wealth and income in today's troubled economy. Gar Alperovitz and Lew Daly demonstrate that up to 90 percent - and perhaps even more - of private earnings derive not from individual ingenuity, effort, or investment, but from what they describe as the unjust appropriation of our collective inheritance: namely, the scientific and technological knowledge that makes today's economy tick." "If society - past and present - is largely responsible for the discoveries and knowledge that make possible the accumulation of vast fortunes in today's economy, the authors ask whether such a tiny fraction of the population truly deserves to keep the rewards for themselves, while the rest of us - society at large - is left holding the bag. This leads inevitably to a powerful and persuasive new political case for the redistribution of wealth, based on the idea that the very source of that wealth is society itself. Offering a sweeping argument that is based on a rich array of historical, economic, and technological research. Unjust Deserts gives us a bold new vision for economic equality in profoundly unequal times."--Jacket.

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