An interesting question, especially in the context of Judeo-Christian and Islamic teachings versus all the other spiritually-based life-styles. The Jewish and Christian condemnation relates to
avarice and
greed rather than
money itself. A tale about Rabbi
Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Apt (1748–1825), rabbi in Iasi, recounts that he, who normally scorned money, had the habit of looking kindly on money before giving it to the poor at
Purim, since only in valuing the gift could the gift express love of God.
The King James Version shows 1 Timothy 6:10 to be:
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
One of many verses on the subject in the Islamic Holy Book says, " I bid you to refrain from avarice, for it is the garment of indigence and the bridle that is used to drive one towards every [type of] vileness."
So, it would seem that within these cultures, it is acceptable for a person to amass wealth, provided that getting wealth is not the persons sole
raison d'etre. The logical sequiter is that having amassed wealth, without avarice, what is one to do with it?
Since ancient times wealthy persons have used money to buy the support of the less wealthy (bread and circuses); to raise monuments to secure their immortality (triumphant arches, mausoleums), to appease their gods (temples), and even philanthropy. In Victorian times, many successful business men spent a lot of money to properly house their workers and to provide the means for the workers to have a better life (night schools, support of popular music, seas-side trips).
In modern times, with the secularisation of Society, we look to Governments to ensure that to less well-to-do get their share of the Nation's GDP. We have seen, however, a plethora of examples in which those to whom we have entrusted the power to govern us, have fallen victim the to vice of avarice. Even the high moral values of Socialism and Communism have been shown to have feet of clay when power falls into the hands of the few.
How much wealth is enough? About the same numerical value as the length of a piece of string.
To support a rising standard of living, things have to be produced and sold. Perhaps a brake could be put on prices the end user pays. But that would also mean a brake on what the employer pays for the worker's expertise, labour and time. That germ of avarice in all of us would not accept that.