A Den of Thieves, But We Need It

Main Street is wary of Wall Street in the best of times. But the economy’s travails have sharpened public antipathy. In a Harris Poll last month, 71 percent of respondents said “most people on Wall Street would be willing to break the law if they believed they could make a lot of money and get away with it.” (The previous high was 64 percent in 1996.) The number saying “most successful people on Wall Street deserve to make the kind of money they earn” has fallen to 30 percent.