Is it good or bad for there to be more rich people?

Today’s column will be the economic version of the Rorschach test used by psychologists.

But instead of showing you an inkblot, I’m seeking your reaction to this visual, based on data from a new UBS report. Are you happy or sad?

Or how about this headline from a recent story in the Wall Street Journal?

Is your visceral reaction joy or grief?

Last but not least, here’s a table from the accompanying article?

Should we celebrate this data or complain about it?

I’m hoping readers (at least the ones is the U.S.A.) view this data as good news.

But if you think this information is bad news, there are two possible explanations.

• First, you may have fallen victim to the zero-sum fallacy. But don’t feel bad. This is a common problem on the left. To cure yourself, just read this, this, this, and this so you can understand that it’s possible for everyone to get richer.
• Second, you may be a spiteful and envious person. Sadly, I’m not aware of a cure for this problem (sometimes referred to as externalization of blame), though possible options range from self-help counseling to reading the Bible.

I’ll close with some caveats, because not all rich people are equally admirable.

I applaud rich people who earn wealth by voluntary exchange. In other words, I like successful people who provide goods and service that make my life better.

However, I don’t like people who steal wealth. I don’t like government kleptocrats (Castro, Putin, Chavez, etc) who steal money. And I don’t like cronyists who obtain unearned wealth thanks to bailouts, subsidies, protectionism, or industrial policy.