Three forms of capital

According to Martel, every family owns three forms of capital:

1 Financial Capital

2 Human Capital

3 Intellectual Capital

While the first is easiest to understand, the other two are more, if not equally important. The human capital can be sustained only when in successive generations, the intellectual capital is nourished and core values are established. The arguments about who will pay the $ 15 sewerage bill is not about money, but may be about more fundamental values, which have not been harmonised. If financial capital is to be sustained, then the intellectual and human capitals have to be harnessed so that successive generations do not squander away the wealth or the 'run with the wealth' syndrome is avoided.

There are many dilemmas in the process but these have to be resolved.