Summary

Oxfam’s 2024 inequality report revealed a record $2 trillion increase in billionaire wealth, reaching $15 trillion, while global poverty rates remain stagnant.

The top 1% own 45% of all wealth, and 44% of people live on less than $6.85 daily.

Oxfam predicts five trillionaires within a decade, citing inheritance and cronyism as key wealth drivers. Elon Musk may become the first trillionaire by 2027.

Oxfam calls for tax reform, monopoly regulation, and income redistribution to address inequality.

Critics warn unchecked wealth concentration threatens democracy and economic fairness.

  • @[email protected]
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    82 hours ago

    The fact that we even have billionaires (and they should not be a thing. The notion of a trillionaire is even more fucking atrocious) is probably why donvict and elon are assuming power right now.

    Without the broligarchs and their thumb heavily on media, both “legacy” and not, do you think there would be so very many stupid people willing to vote for the convicted felon?

  • @[email protected]
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    377 hours ago

    When money is used in society as security for basic rights like a home, food and clean water, healthcare, political representation in government, then people hoarding wealth at the detriment of others are responsible and shouldn’t be surprised when those same people they oppress become violent.

  • @[email protected]
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    156 hours ago

    I mean, there is a way to cure billionaires and prevent trillionaires. Several cures, actually, some of which are likely more palatable than others.

  • @[email protected]
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    10210 hours ago

    These are direct results of the government’s failure to govern. The whole purpose of government is to regulate.

    Billionaire wealth should have immediately been taxed at the highest historical levels. Now we’re past the tipping point and have to simply endure living in an empire as it crumbles around us, while masses of rubes cheer their oppressors.

    • @[email protected]
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      67 hours ago

      ‘Now we’re past the tipping point and have to simply endure living in an empire as it crumbles around us, while masses of rubes cheer their oppressors.’ - I can still vote and will do everything in my power to tax the s**t out of those billionairs. So help me the flying spaghetti monster.

          • @[email protected]
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            2 hours ago

            Simple farmers, people of the land, the common clay of the new west…you know, morons.

            More seriously:

            rube (noun): a country bumpkin

            bumpkin (noun): an unsophisticated or socially awkward person from the countryside

            ‘rube’ also has the connotation of someone being taken advantage of or otherwise fooled

  • @[email protected]
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    87 hours ago

    No shit, fuckin obviously. This is how money works. The point is not the number it is the proportion (though obv they’re related)

      • @[email protected]
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        3513 hours ago

        I can’t remember where I heard this but apparently there are therapists for very rich people.

        The therapist was on a podcast I think and discussing what they talk about.

        Basically all rich people fear not having enough money. No matter how rich they get, they fear and obsess over not having enough money.

        I thought it was interesting. These are people richer than God and they always want more.

        • Soulifix
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          2013 hours ago

          A single million could really change someone’s life. Just one million.

          With all of my expenses tallied up, for 15 years, I’m covered worry-free and all I’d need is at least $500k. That’s it. Another half of that, make it 30 years.

          These rich people, having billions at their command, are set for like twenty lifetimes over.

          • @[email protected]
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            710 hours ago

            These rich people, having billions at their command, are set for like twenty lifetimes over.

            I get your point and hate to be overly pedantic but even a billionaire with “only” one billion dollars, using the most conservative investment strategy would literally have enough money for 200 people to earn $200,000/year forever.

          • @[email protected]
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            1512 hours ago

            Their children’s children’s children will be unimaginably wealthy. There is no need for any one person to have that much. We’re supposed to be in space ships exploring the galaxy, not lining up to work ourselves to death so some mentally unstable chode’s great-great-grandkids can go to an Ivy League school.

          • @[email protected]
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            39 hours ago

            Assuming you pull a salary for 60 years you could earn $100,000/yr for over 150 lifetimes with literally just one billion dollars.

        • @[email protected]
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          310 hours ago

          If this is true, why then do they need to buy super ultra giant mega-yachts, private jets, mansions, islands, etc?

          If you are worried about running out of money, you should be living a very meager and humble life. Is that what their therapist tells them, as part of their therapy?

          I think they are more worried about running out of asshole.

  • Flying Squid
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    12 hours ago

    Every developed nation should tax these motherfuckers’ entire assets at 99%. If they want to flee with all of their money to Honduras or Haiti or something, let them enjoy that paradise.

    • @[email protected]M
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      910 hours ago

      That assumes national borders mean anything to this class. They travel by private plane and go directly from the tarmac to the car. They don’t even need passports.

      • @[email protected]
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        68 hours ago

        We lost more valuable stuff leaving them in charge: manufacturing capacity.

        Capital flight is perfect, they can’t take the means of production with them. It’s an empty threat.

        They’ve taken more away just being allowed to stay here. Let them flee, just means less time needed sharpening the guillotine blades when we’re fed up.

    • @[email protected]
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      1012 hours ago

      I mean, the issue is getting all nations to agree to that and making any agreement binding because otherwise the nation that decides to tax them at 98% gets all of the tax revenue…

      • @[email protected]
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        68 hours ago

        98% of… what? Billionaires don’t get a paycheck like working people. They’re already sitting on all that wealth! If they spend money, it’s buying something once like a football team or Twitter and waiting until the value goes up before selling it. Same thing with stocks. And those realized gains are taxed lower than payroll taxes. They even take out unneeded loans like Trump just to avoid paying taxes! There’s a reason people say the rich pay less taxes than us…

      • Flying Squid
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        1112 hours ago

        I’d be fine with just taking them out of the entire system. Like I said, let them live in a place like Haiti if they want to be rich and keep them out of the rest of our lives. Let them build themselves a Dracula castle in Port-au-Prince.

        • @[email protected]
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          910 hours ago

          They’re not going to go to Haiti though, they’re going to go to Monaco or Switzerland or Ireland or The Netherlands. That’s my point, for this to work all of the “developed” nations need to agree despite having a massive financial incentive not to.