How Personal Capitalism Undermines Equality in Government and Business

The author argues that politicians and officials, regardless of ideology, use their positions to enrich themselves and their families through privileged access and rent-seeking.

A former Air Force senior enlisted member recounts seeing how rank determines the best views at the Pentagon, using the anecdote to illustrate a broader pattern of privilege. He compares this to East Berlin’s “special stores” that excluded most citizens despite socialist rhetoric, arguing that the same dynamic persists in modern democracies. The article highlights cases such as Zohran Mamdani’s secured rent-controlled unit, Harry Reid’s Nevada solar farm tied to his son’s law firm, and Bernie Sanders’s book-advance operation that channels campaign money into family nonprofits.

It also notes how political families—Lindsey Graham, Jean Carnahan, Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, and Hunter Biden—benefit from entrenched networks. The author concludes that expanding government reach merely enlarges opportunities for those already adept at exploiting the system, turning public resources into private gain.