Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Most aristocracies practiced primogeniture to prevent this sort of dilution - the entire estate was inherited by the eldest son. America intentionally abolished primogeniture, precisely to prevent the perpetuation of the aristocracy or the creation of a new one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fee_tail

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2953276




This is a bit confusing to read, but I think what you mean is that America abolished the way to enforce primogeniture on your descendants? But you could still have a custom where each generation voluntarily wills their estate to a single child.


That is indeed the case, you can fully legally do anything you wish with your assets in death, including giving it to one child (or pet). Granted, it's also not unusual for lawsuits to fly if you leave everything to one child rather than spreading it out. That happens from time to time with the super wealthy in cases of feuding.

In the US it became custom to more or less equally distribute assets in death to all of the children, rather than concentrating it to one controlling heir. That's still the overwhelmingly common custom to this day.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: