Quote:
Originally Posted by August
This thread reminds me of something Chinese friend of mine once told me about he called a 5 generation Coolie rule.
It's been a long time since I heard the story but as I remember it went something like this:
The first generation Coolie, motivated to get out of the crushing poverty he was born into, carefully builds up his business. Eventually with enough hard work and luck he is able to turn it over to his eldest son (2nd generation).
This son, who also spends at least a good portion of his childhood in poverty as his father built up the family business knows the value of what has been passed on to him and he spends his life striving to grow and care for it so as to eventually pass it on in good shape to his son (3rd generation).
This 3rd generation Coolie however has been born into this wealth. As a result he never really learns to appreciate it like his father and grandfather did. Under his leadership the business stops growing and stagnates. He's more interested in pleasurable pursuits, content to leave the day to day running of the business to employees.
When his son (4th generation) eventually takes over the business the poverty and hard times experienced by the 1st and second generation are nothing but boring stories told by old men. Under his control the business crumbles through neglect. A mere shell that is eventually sold to cover debts run up by himself and his father.
By the time his son (5th generation) grows up the business is gone and he is forced back into the poverty his family escaped from 4 generations ago thus completing the cycle.
I can often see parallels between that story and modern western civilization.
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I remember reading in Barbara Tuchman's
A Distant Mirror where she talks about families becoming nobles. For whatever reason, on average they only stayed ennobled for about 200 years, either dying out or losing their noble status.
Yes, indeedy, family wealth can be fleeting. I once went to a college where there were lots of rich white kids playing hippie. That's not a lifestyle likely to prolong dynastic wealth.