Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which
permit this norm to be exceeded - here and there, now and then - are the work of
an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost
always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept
from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people
then slip back into abject poverty.
Robert Heinlein, "Time Enough For Love"
