I think the reason the original essay was so controversial is that it set out to demonstrate that a society faces a binary choice:
* We allow both startups and inequality.
* We attack both startups and inequality.
This is perhaps most clearly articulated in this quote:
"You can't end economic inequality without preventing people from getting rich, and you can't do that without preventing them from starting startups."
And here strikes the controversy: on average the hacker community has a favorable view of startups while also opposing economic inequality (this is at least my general impression).
Perhaps the optimal solution is a compromise that allows startups and inequality while providing a system that eliminates the most undesirable effects of inequality. There are already systems in place to prevent extreme poverty, to ensure some minimum access to education and healthcare etc.
From the remaining issues the most pressing one is the problem of excessive concentration of political power. A system that weakens the link between money and political influence seems necessary.
Well back in the day it was, I don't think an article like this would have been that controversial on hackernews many years ago. A lot of pauls earlier writing has similar stances.
As more people have joined, it moved quite heavily to the left.
* We allow both startups and inequality.
* We attack both startups and inequality.
This is perhaps most clearly articulated in this quote:
"You can't end economic inequality without preventing people from getting rich, and you can't do that without preventing them from starting startups."
And here strikes the controversy: on average the hacker community has a favorable view of startups while also opposing economic inequality (this is at least my general impression).
Perhaps the optimal solution is a compromise that allows startups and inequality while providing a system that eliminates the most undesirable effects of inequality. There are already systems in place to prevent extreme poverty, to ensure some minimum access to education and healthcare etc.
From the remaining issues the most pressing one is the problem of excessive concentration of political power. A system that weakens the link between money and political influence seems necessary.