I have a rather large extended family who enjoy logic puzzles at gatherings and this one surfaced on the weekend.

There are a group of 5 bushrangers who though thieves form a strict code around authority and distribution from which they do not waver.

It is decided that upon a successful raid the most senior ranking bushranger will propose a distribution scheme, if the majority agree or there is a tied vote then it is implemented, if not he is shot and it falls to the next most senior ranked bushranger to state a distribution proposal and so on.

Each bushranger of course wants to live, wants as much loot as possible for himself, but being a blood thirsty lot is happy to see a fellow bushranger shot if everything else is even.

Outside these rules there is no honour among thieves thus no trust nor any obligation to honour deals done outside the above stated rules.

After a successful stagecoach robbery they have in their possession 100 gold crowns. How do they get distributed?

*Spoiler alert. Read no further if you want to attempt the puzzle before continuing.*

What makes the puzzle quirky is the only logical distribution given the rules is quite counter intuitive though we have to include the proviso that all the bushrangers are highly rational men. It ends up that the most senior of the group will get ninety eight coins, the third most senior just one and the least of the five also gets one.

What makes it fascinating though is the realisation that the hyper-capitalistic United States has a distribution of wealth that is not that far from this. The top 20% have over 85% of the wealth. It is they who decided how the wealth is distributed as politics there is very much decided by the deepest pockets.

I am interested to hear thoughts on what this says about democracy in a capitalistic society, is it a case of 'give them the illusion that they are part of the decision making process and they will accept such inequities'?

steely gRASP/ON THE TOPIC/Quote.<<..wealth is distributed as politics there is very much decided by the deepest pockets.>>

YOU ARE TOO TRUE..but lets go..WITH THESE 5..EARNING 100bucks
wiTH A WRTONG DECISION COSTing me my life/my suffestion is a 20.20 split..5 ways[we aLL GET..25]..FOR REASONN BEING THIS AMMOUNT GIVES US AL EQUAL

NOW IF you kill me..there will be my 20 divided..between ony four/but its likely the OTHERS WILL THEN VOTE TO..KILL YOU FOR YOUR 25..TO GET 32.50..[is itwORTH POINTING OUT THE LAST GET A CLEAN TWO WAY spit..50 BUCKS EAch/but no leader to..decide it

ANYHOW..THE REALITY..IS YES 85 Own half
i feel its a matter of disrespect..THSE 85THInk so little of the rest of us..ITS TIME THEY TOOK HONORA OVER ASSET..meaning they get TO KEEP HALF..OF WHAT THEY DECLARE..AND NONE OF WHAT THEY FAIL TO DECLare

then every limited liability cooperation..gets to pAY A ONE OFF TAX
tO BUY BACK ALL GOVT SERVICES..AND RESTORE SERVICE AS ITS DUTY

THE Opposite of..finantialisation

http://investmentwatchblog.com/whats-the-primary-cause-of-wealth-inequality-financialization/

<<>>I am interested to hear thoughts..on what this says about democracy in a capitalistic society,..is it a case of..'give them the illusion that they are part of the decision making process and they will accept such inequities'?

YES YOU GOT IT IN ONE
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/bankersinonechunk.php

welcome to THE CLUB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k67_imEHTPE
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/allwarsarebankerwars.php
http://xrepublic.tv/node/8086

Dear OUG,

Sorry mate, I tend to forget these are a bit of a guilty pleasure for us and so possibly a little more versed in nutting them out.

You wrote;

“is itwORTH POINTING OUT THE LAST GET A CLEAN TWO WAY spit..50 BUCKS EAch/but no leader to..decide it”.

Think about the situation of just two left. If you were the most lowly bushranger and I was the second most lowly I am still the most senior. How much do you think I would give you? After all I'm one greedy sod. I will tell you, zip, nothing, ziltch, not one brass rahzoo because you need a majority to have me shot and you don't have it.

Now think what might happen if there were three left.

STELLY EYED REDUX/QUOTE..<<..Think about the situation of just two left. If you were the most lowly bushranger and I was the second most lowly I am still the most senior.>>

ok there is just you/the decider
aND ME THE JUDGE OF IF YOU LIVE OR DIE

so if you claim leader..i need only pull the TRIGGER AS I KNOW THE VOTE BELONS TO ME.WETHER YOU LIVE OR DIE[YOU GOT EXECUTIVE POWERS ONLY OVER WHO GETS WHGAT

but the non leader decides who liVES AND DIES

<<>.How much do you think I would give you?>>

YOU IF Sensible/WILL give me half
then let me deciDE IF YOU GET TO LIVE
[or visa versa..[BUT..im no leader][BUT A WORSE FOLOWER]

<<..After all I'm one greedy sod...I will tell you, zip,..>>

NO..nothing, ziltch, not one W NOW MR CHAIR
THE CHAIR HOLDS THe caSting vote..only in cASE OF A TIE*

SO REAlly the vote iS ONE TO ZIP..
And that means WE DONT NEED your casting VOTE

BESIDES I PUT poiswen..in your water
aND RADIATION IN YOUR TV..SO EVEN IF you win../you loose

see those that think..they own it all
DONT REALISe..that we GOT NOTHING TO LOOSE
[WE GOT NO SKIN IN THE GAME..BUT THATS ALL THEY GOT..[Sin]..a damm thick hide*

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

'a brass rahzoo'..haS THE VALUE..OF THE BRASS
JUST AS OUR MONEY..USED TO BE SILVER AND GOLD..[IM GLAD WE STOLE THE GOLD COIN..CAUSE THE PAPER..ISNT WORTH WIPING OUR BUMS WITH..ONCE THEY START Spending the bailout..and upcoming fireball treason..*tHE BAIL IN

First..THEY STOLE THE GOLD
THEY STOLE THE SILVER..THATS HOW THEY GOT HALF OF EVERYTHING

THEFT[and proceeds of crime
-never gain/say a clear title

IN THE END..HE who HAS..not of HIM
SHALL BE TAKEN..THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAS..[by his own.

<<..because you need a majority..to have me shot
and you don't have it...>>

ok back to the reAL WORLD
WE got the numbers..3/5 billion to 85

your outvoted..vetoed...HUNG ON THYNE OWN PETARD
[if your the boss/THE MANY BOSSES MUST ACCOUNT FOR THE MANY LOSSES.].

<<..Now think what might happen if there were three left.>>

THEIR PLAN..IS TO DWINDLE US DOWN TO HALF A BILLION ..OR SO
THATS ALL THEY need to rig the vote..and protect their WEALTH FROM THE OTHER 84,,[HECK IF I WAS ONE OF THE 85..ID BE WORRIED ABOUT THE OTHER 84..OR WORSE THE 86..TH WHO ARE ON THE RISE

THE new enron guy..[THE ONE HIDING OUT IN GEORGE BUSHES farm]
next to thE ARMY BASE/The one that 'died/was cremated..two days before his judgment day..[how MANY YEARS AGO NOW?..IF YOU DIDN'T KILL ANYOne..does 7 years forgive?..or maybe a presidential pardon?

i wouldnt want TO BE ONE Of the 85..or indeed any of the 144,000
that really RUN THINGS..[THE Useless eaters..who only live to scam away our wealth by taxing us to early graves/poisoning our waters soils airs..and PUTTING GMO VIRUS IN OUR FOOD..ENDLESS MURDER/eternal war..thieves keeping their misbegotten booty..IT HAS TO STOP.

VOTING DONT WORK..WE NEED A LEVEL OF govt that protects the majority..who should get all govt cash[that the 85 THEM MUST TEMPT US INTO GIVING TO THEN

BOTTOM UP
NOT TOP DOWN./.HANG EM ALL/LET GOD DECIDE.

Dear SteeleRedux,

I checked your puzzle and the result is correct.

So the question is, "Is there a point in living in a world where there is no trust, no love, only rationality"?

If it were absolutely so, then the answer is 'No'.

However, even in the valley of the shadow of death, one always has free choice and it only takes just ONE person who loves all others unconditionally and refuses to play that cruel game, for the rules to change.

Those evil bushrangers will kill one another and... The meek shall inherit the earth!

As for democracy - it's a farce, an unacceptable trampling on the freedoms of minorities and it also attracts Asura politicians: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asura_%28Buddhism%29#Character_of_the_Asuras

If you got to have hierarchy, then monarchy is better because it doesn't attract the same. A king/queen who isn't afraid to lose their seat or their head can naturally afford to be genuinely kind and benevolent. I would recommend the Jordanian model, where there is a democratically-elected parliament, but its decisions are only advisory and the king has the last say. In their unique and fortunate situation, the king cannot be toppled because he is a direct descendent of Muhammad, hence he can and does afford to love and care for his people - and listen to their requests when reasonable.

The reason it sounds unbelievable is that in history, most kings WERE constantly afraid to lose their seat and/or their head... but then, so do our democratic politicians!

... "But how can I trust? What if there is no love?", you ask...

Well, if you can't trust in love, then you already live in hell, so what's there to lose?