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The rise of self-made billionaires and the fall of economic dynamism
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The rise of self-made billionaires and the fall of economic dynamism

Economic progress has slowed down, not sped up

Matthew Yglesias's avatar
Matthew Yglesias
Apr 26, 2021
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Slow Boring
Slow Boring
The rise of self-made billionaires and the fall of economic dynamism
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Billionaires’ Row in New York City (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Paul Graham, the influential venture capitalist, wrote a good essay recently looking at the difference between the richest people in America today versus the richest people in the America of 1982.

It’s a good essay and you should read it, but the spoiler is that today a much larger …

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