It's weird to me that lovers of capitalism are quick to distinguish "value-creation" from "mere rent-seeking," but slow to acknowledge the difference between exploitative & non-exploitative transactions--conceptually those distinctions rest on the same ground.
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"Rent seeking (or rent-seeking) is an economic concept that occurs when an entity seeks to gain added wealth without any reciprocal contribution of productivity."
Thanks! I find that when I try to really think that through and apply it to examples, it runs away from me--but I'll keep trying.
