Some economists use the concept of trickling down to justify actions that allow wealthy people to increase their wealth. The idea behind this is that by investing their fortune, the wealthy would share it with others, who in turn would consume goods and services that would allow them to share their wealth with less fortunate people, etc. This is obviously not true, but I would like to draw your attention to the name of the concept, “trickle-down”.
Trickle-down, in hydrology, is called “surface runoff”. It describes a phenomenon in which water flows from places where it is scarce (mountains, land) to areas or bodies of water where it exists in large volumes (lakes, rivers and, of course, oceans). As the water flows, it carries along particles of varying size depending on the amount of water in motion and the slope. This erosion depletes the soil of its essential nutrients, making it less fertile. If the runoff continues for a long period of time, then particles of soil or stone are actually washed away, which can lead to long-lasting gullies on the land, which can further dry out the soil.
This is an excellent description of capitalism.
Capitalism describes a phenomenon in which capital flows from where it is scarce (the poor), to funds or accounts where it exists in large volumes. Each time capital flees to the wealthy, it takes with it essential elements of financing the commons (culture, health, transport, education, unemployment, retirement…). This erosion depletes society of its essential nutrients, making it less fertile. If the stream continues for a long time, then public services start to disappear, which can lead to lasting degradation in society, which can continue its impoverishment for the benefit of capital.