How to reclaim our future from extreme wealth
World Economic Forum4 days
Billionaire wealth skyrocketed to $18.3 trillion while one in four people lack regular food and half the world lives in poverty. The ultra-rich wield political power 4,000 times greater than ordinary citizens, using fortunes to rig economic rules in their favor. Extreme wealth concentration isn't just economic injustice — it's political poverty for billions whose voices get drowned out by oligarchic control.
Billionaires earn their wealth through voluntary exchanges that benefit everyone — Bezos created Amazon's convenience, Walton revolutionized retail savings. Taking away fortunes above arbitrary limits punishes innovation and hurts consumers who gain from entrepreneurial drive. Most billionaires already pay millions in taxes far exceeding government benefits received, making confiscatory policies both unjust and economically harmful.
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0