How do millionaires become wealthier?
After anyone gets the first million or two, they've reached the minimum threshold to start acquiring assets. Since we live in a generally inflationary world (with the exception of Japan) thanks to central bank policies, assets will tend to rise in price (not necessarily increase in value) over time. Of course, that by itself only gives you a bigger number for the same asset. But, if you buy assets in the right locations or markets, you'll get above inflation gains or increased value. Some people (e.g. financial analysts) call such value increases as investment returns for merely holding onto assets. So, if you can get an asset that returns 15% a year, then with $2M to start, you'll have a $4M asset in just over 4 years. That's an extra $2M you've gained in net worth by just sitting around. You'll be benefiting massively from our distorted taxation policies that tax income, not assets. Just think about how hard it was to save the first $2M from income. (Yes, there are property taxes, but 1-2% is trivial compared to 35-50% in combined Federal and state income taxation.) Plus, as a millionaire, you can continue to earn and save on top of your asset gains, allowing you to reach $10M in relatively short order.
How did the Romans become so wealthy?
How did the Romans become so wealthy?The short answer: organization and discipline, maintained over a period of hundreds of years.Other answers have cited conquest, plunder, the Roman use of slave labor, trade, the Roman military power. All of these contributed to Roman wealth, but all were a function of the underlying organization and discipline maintained over time, without which Rome would have been just another ancient city. Other city-states have conquered, plundered, used slaves, traded, and had a military force, but only Rome mastered the known world of classical antiquity.The moral and intellectual origins of Roman discipline grew out of the farming people who admired and honored farming, rather than regarding it as a task fit only for peasants. The Roman general Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (after which Cincinnati is named) was, according to legend, called away from his plow to rule as military dictator during a war, and after the war was over he returned to his farm. While this story may not be true, the fact that it was told tells us something important about the Roman people.The most admired Roman virtues were gravitas, pietas, dignitas and virtus. It is not necessary to translate these terms from the Latin to understand the underlying seriousness of the Roman people, and they brought this seriousness first to the government of their city-state, and when it grew into an empire, they then brought this seriousness to governing the known world.Anyone can conquer, but to conquer and hold a territory for hundreds of years points to an underlying discipline and a commitment to the institutions which made the conquest possible. Anyone can take slaves, but to administer a slave economy over hundreds of years again requires discipline. The same can be said for other offered explanations.
Prosperity: How can one become wealthier than Bill Gates?
A beneficial Innovation can take you a long way, especially if its in demand in the market. Currently, Computers and Web services are dominating right now, and everyone wants a piece of it; therefore, fighting for a piece is a hard bet to become wealthy. (Apple, Oracle, Microsoft, Qualcomm, ASUS, etc.)Tablets and Smartphones are doing phenomenal as well. If you have invented something that can change the course of humanity in terms of practical and efficiency, then you are pretty much close to have a guaranteed wealth especially if it's marketed right Keep close watch on the trends. Trends can make you a millionaire relatively quick. Check Minecraft, Instagram, Facebook, GoPro (Nick Woodman the GoPro innovator is now a billionaire, in net worth I believe)Meet The World's Newest Billionaire, A 36-Year-Old 'Surfer Dude' Named Nicholas Woodman But there are other factors that can make you wealthy, such as investments. If you save for a couple years straight, and you pool that money to investments; you may be lucky enough to return twice that money, that twice can become quad originally if you reinvested it again and again, but take note that you may also lose them all. You need a strong sense of prediction whether the ETF or the share is going to do good in the future. (Practice on virtual stock market) Warren Buffet is an example of someone who became a billionaire doing this. Higher the investment = higher the return. I also agree with @Michael Doroshenko. about "Right Place + Right Time + Hard Work + A Bit of Luck". There are millionaires who have said that they have made that far due to luck. Going against Bill Gates in terms of "Wealthier than Bill Gates" is an incredible challenge. He is not just wealthy in money, but he is also wealthy in reputation; he is an avid donater and a serious innovator. In this case, just be a billionaire, and party with Bill Gates. lol But remember, Hard work can really take you far in life, but success is never guaranteed. Its up to you whether to take the hit, or you keep countering with jabs. "You have to spend money, to make money." Remember that!
How did Ben Cartwright become so wealthy on the TV show, "Bonanza"?
Bonanza got its name from the Comstock Lode which was "an exceptionally large and rich mineral deposit" of silver. Virginia City was founded directly over the lode and was mined for 19 years The family lived on a thousand-square-mile ranch called "The Ponderosa", on the shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada; the name refers to the Ponderosa Pine, common in the West. The nearest town to the Ponderosa was Virginia City