The simple math of the Yard-Sale Model shows that if everybody started out with equal money in a fair economy, the outcome tends toward one person holding all of the money. The cool graphical simulations on this page demonstrate why.

  • Lojcs@piefed.social
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    3 hours ago

    Scientific American isn’t an academic journal and there’s no paper about this published in 2017. There’s a Scientific American article about it written in 2019 though. I think you’re referring to the part in the article that says it matched real world data remarkably after they modified it in 2017.

    I don’t think this model is an x-ray that reveals the bones of the system, as its premise about how it works is plainly inaccurate. Maybe scientists can gain actual insight by studying it further but I don’t think drawing conclusions such as the title on social media is healthy.

    At best the model teaches why gambling is a bad idea even if the chances are perfectly even. At worst someone looks at this and decides all anti capitalist evidence must be flimsy

    Edit: Nvm found the paper you were talking about. Once again, it is based on this but it is not this. Either way it doesn’t conclude that since it is similar it must be the underlying reason.

    • SwingingTheLamp@piefed.zipOP
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      3 hours ago

      Yes, I misrembered the year. And while Scientific American is not a journal, at least the article explained the work in some depth and provided evidence. Here, you’ve given your opinion which boils down to, “No, it doesn’t.” Totally valid, as opinions go, but not very edifying to us readers.

      • Lojcs@piefed.social
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        3 hours ago

        It is not an opinion that people don’t earn money by randomly trading with others, wtf are talking about??

        I’m actually triggered about this