[aniro]

I believe you have touched upon the fundamental problem.

We severely reduced inherited political power in the West. It was bloody and painful, but it was accomplished.

We can reduce or remove inherited economic power also. Hopefully it doesn't have to be so bloody (I am not so sure).

[karatestomp]

Bertrand Russell, in one of his more political books (I forget which—maybe New Hopes for a Changing World?) points out how odd it is that we now consider the notion that people would inherit titles & positions obviously silly and can't even understand how anyone ever took it seriously, but consider inherited wealth completely normal and questioning it as radical.

[SauciestGNU]

This is pretty off-topic but I've read a lot of Russell, and I just want to point out that he was declared unfit to teach by the judiciary owing to his political beliefs. Just to disabuse anyone of the notion that the United States values free speech and expression.

[aniro]

It is a massive paradigm shift. That is exactly what leads me to believe that moving to remove/reduce it is going to lead to violence.

I also think it is likely necessary to do so if we intend for humanity to move forward.