A Crazy Society

It was just a short article in the daily press but it sums up what a crazy system capitalism really is. 'A treasure trove of art, jewellery and other valuables from the estate of the reclusive heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon will go on sale at auction following  her death earlier this year at the age of 103.  Experts invited to assess her collection at her country home of Oak Spring Farms, in Upperville, Virginia, were stunned at the scale of the riches she had amassed, including little-seen Picassos and Van Goghs, personalised Chanel handbags and even a vintage 1950s fire engine.' (Sunday Telegraph, 14 September) Mellon never worked for this fortune, she inherited her vast wealth from her grandfather. It is estimated that her fortune is probably worth about $100 million although countless hard-working people are trying to survive on less than $2 a day. RD