The richest families in Florence in 1427 are still rich today....

Saw this on Facebook today. Thought it was interesting ...

A study by two Italian economists has shown that despite huge political and social changes in Florence over the past 600 years, one thing has barely changed at all: the surnames of the city's richest inhabitants.


The richest families in Florence in 1427 are still rich today

 

Let us hope that the same can be said for Australia some day. We are not that "old" a country yet and neither are most of our family names. But you can definitely feel the age of European cities.

 

Something a bit wrong (/corrupt) when the same families retain wealth over such a long period. I would hope Australia does not become like this and maintains much higher social mobility where your wealth is not so connected to your parents.

 

The Medici wealth is long gone.

The Popes are still doing OK lol.

 

No doubt achieved via property holdings.

 

why would we as a country hope for that? genuine question btw.

im not in any way one of those weirdos who have an issue with people passing on their wealth to their families etc but the above stat of the richest families remaining so for 600 years seems to speak more about a lack of social mobility than it does competence being rewarded in any way.

 

i am often greatly motivated and pelased seeing families that together go from absolutely nothing to achieving so much personally and financially but that's at least mostly earnt. having the same lot on top of the pile for 600 years is not something i like the sound of because it screams of built in barriers for the "have nots" and from a broad society POV imagine how many highly capable people over 600 years were not able to reach their potential due to these said barriers.

 

In Milan its the same story... the richest families owned the gates.... to the city...


In Australia, the traditional owners berate their kids for NOT sharing....

 

In Europe, don't a lot of generations of the one family still co-habitate? Would make it a lot easier, and more common to pass property and wealth down the family line, especially property.

 

Think of all the different ways to avoid the Inheritance tax..
Same diff but... for Kerry Packer and his Income tax???

 

Why wouldn't you try? Passing on wealth through the generations requires each new generation to maintain and even build on bespoke wealth. It would be easier for a generation to blow the lot, but they've passed on the knowledge. I don't have a problem with that.

There will always be those who coast through life with with the good old Aussie "she'll be right" attitude with next to nill thought to where their next weeks pay is coming from. I would say not many, if any on PC are in this boat. We're all here striving to improve our lot, no? Even if it is just for your own comfort in later life.

I really doubt that more than a handful of residences in Australia would stand the test of 600 years of occupation from multi generational families anyway considering nothing built here is more than 230 years old yet. Over a span of 600 years modern homes will become a consumable item (though noticing you're from Perth some of the double brick homes might have a chance ). Best I can do is own the land under my feet and pass it onto my kids and hope they do the same for theirs and so on.

I doubt keeping wealth within a family for 600 years would be easy is all I'm saying, so why would we not at least have a go?

 

..

with current divorce rate at 60% its just going to be a tad harder