Deserving Wealth

Bill Gates was quoted  this week as saying that he did not deserve his fortune. In one way that statement is correct, though not in the way people in the media are interpreting it or perhaps Gates meant it.  No one deserves that any wealth should be bestowed on him by virtue of his existing or because he is a fine fellow. The world does not owe anybody a living. However a person has a right to the wealth he earns  by producing goods and services (for his own use or for selling) and by saving and investing and deserves not to have that wealth stolen from him. He also has the right to give property of his  to someone else if he wants to. Once he has, it belongs to the new owner by right, and that person deserves not  to have it stolen from him.  A person, rich or otherwise, does deserve that others  should  respect his right to whatever wealth he acquires honestly in these ways, whether or not  they think he deserves it in some other sense.