The Ethical Ceiling: Why a Wealth Cap Could Save Capitalism

Drawing on Rawlsian principles of justice, this article argues that the current 58,300-fold wealth disparity between median Americans ($192,900) and Forbes US Top 100 billionaires cannot be ethically justified.This paper proposes a dynamic performance‑indexed wealth cap mechanism, where excess wealth above a specified threshold is redirected into charitable foundations / NGOs. The paper addresses key implementation concerns including democratic accountability and capital flight risks through policy design features such as phased asset transfer periods and international coordination mechanisms. The analysis concludes that this approach could redirect competitive wealth accumulation toward competitive philanthropy, potentially creating more sustainable capitalism while preserving innovation incentives.