A dramatic increase in wealth
In 2024, the combined wealth of billionaires reached a stratospheric figure of 15,000 billion dollars, an increase of 2,000 billion compared to the previous year. This phenomenon, as highlighted in the Oxfam report, is fueled by two main factors: heritage and connections. The wealth of the super-rich is growing at an impressive rate of about 5.7 billion dollars a day, three times higher than the previous year. This scenario raises questions about the sustainability and fairness of the current economic system
.
The gap between rich and poor
The Oxfam report highlights an alarming fact: 1% of the world’s population owns almost 45% of global wealth, while about 3.5 billion people still live in poverty. This growing gap between the richest and the poorest is not only an economic issue, but also a social and political one. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few is generating tensions and inequalities that could have long-term repercussions
on social stability.
The future of billionaires and fiscal policies
Oxfam predicts that, if this trend continues, we could see the birth of at least five trillionaires within the next decade. The current situation is compounded by the perception that many of today’s billionaires are heirs to fortunes accumulated over time, rather than entrepreneurs who have built their wealth from scratch. This leads to a critical reflection on global fiscal policies and the need for greater regulation to ensure that the richest contribute equally to
collective well-being.