[michaelmrose]

Ponzi schemes are defined by the fact that you can earn some revenue but not enough to sustain the employees at the base of the pyramid while having some means to bring in new players who will help you earn enough to keep going usually by contributing some part of their income to you.

Its a scam because their is a finite pool of potential idiots and when you run out the bottom of your pyramid collapses taking subsequent layers with it eventually.

If a multi level marketing company actually provides enough wealth for the bottom level to function then it isn't a ponzi scheme.