Global Ruling Class: Billionaires and How They ‘Made It’

[ProudDad]

The Frontiers of Capitalism:

"The total wealth of this global ruling class grew 35 per cent year to year topping $3.5 trillion, while income levels for the lower 55 per cent of the world's 6-billion-strong population declined or stagnated. Put another way, one hundred millionth of the world's population (1/100,000,000) owns more than over 3 billion people.

Contrary to European and US publicists on the right and left, very few of the top former Communist leaders are found among the current Russian billionaire oligarchy. Secondly, contrary to the spin-masters' claims of 'communist inefficiencies', the former Soviet Union developed mines, factories, energy enterprises were profitable and competitive, before they were taken over by the new oligarchs.

If blood and guns were the instruments for the rise of the Russian billionaire oligarchs, in other regions the Market, or better still, the US-IMF-World Bank orchestrated Washington Consensus was the driving force behind the rise of the Latin American billionaires.

Countries of 'surging billionaires' produce burgeoning poverty, submerging living standards. The making of billionaires means the unmaking of civil society ­ the weakening of social solidarity, protective social legislation, pensions, vacations, public health programs and education."


http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=PET20070323&articleId=5159

[leftofthedial]

1. "Countries of 'surging billionaires' "

like the USA.

[sandnsea]

4. 371 in the US

793 globally. But I'm the nut for saying none of us are ever going to get rich. :eyes:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/09/news/newsmakers/billionaires_forbes/index.htm?cnn=yes

[htuttle]

2. "Behind every great fortune there is a great crime."

[Warpy]

3. Behind every million impoverished people

is one fat cat who's stolen it all.

[SharonAnn]

5. Yes, in order to have a lot you have to steal from a lot of people.

[ProudDad]

6. Indeed

that is the point.

There's a class war going on and we've been losing for decades...