Share your insights or perspective on the financial matter presented in the input.

How does the world - in aggregate - generate a non-zero return? 
It appears that you have bought into the Communist lie.  Milton Friedman lats it all out so well. No transaction ever occurs unless both sides in the transaction benefit.  Let's say you are out for a walk. While walking you feel hungry. You find two quarters ($0.50) in your pocket. You enter the nearest convenience store and look for a snack cake to buy. You find a Twinky selling for 40 cents. You pay for the Twinky and leave the store while eating it. You also leave with a dime in your pocket.  To you the Twinky is worth 50 cents as you would have paid what you had to obtain one. So made 10 cents profit on the deal. The shopkeeper sold his merchandise for 40 cents but it only cost him 25 cents to obtain the Twinky. He made 15 cents profit on the deal.  You wanted the snack more than you wanted the money. The shopkeeper wanted the money more than the snack. You both got what you valued more. You both profited by the transaction.  That is why Capitalism works. Value (worth)  is in the eye of the beholder.  Remember: no transaction occurs unless both sides profit.  Edit: once again I ask: if you give me a negative vote please explain with a comment.