You're right tim, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are most successful farm operations.  But that's the point, whether it came from five generations or one, when is something really owned?  Is that even possible?  You pay income tax on the money you bought it with, real estate tax while you own it, and then pay again(big time) when you transfer it to the next generation.  Where does it stop?  I dont think anyone with an estate valued in the millions is looking for sympathy.  Just because they have wealth doesn't justify the government taking another big bite out of it.