Billionaires driven by greed surpass $18 trillion in assets... widening inequality

According to the latest report released by the international charity organization Oxfam on January 19, the total assets of billionaires worldwide have reached a record high of $18.3 trillion. This means that the assets of the billionaire group increased by 16% compared to the previous year. What is more concerning is that their wealth growth is not solely the result of pure economic activity, but is closely linked to moves to pursue personal gain while monopolizing political, media, and economic power.

10 Years of Wealth Concentration…The Expanding Influence of the Ultra-Wealthy

Oxfam’s statistics show that over the past 10 years, the wealth of billionaires has surged by as much as 81%. Oxfam describes this period as the “Golden Age of the Rich,” which signifies not just simple economic growth but a process where the ultra-wealthy have transformed social systems solely for their own benefit. According to the report, last year alone, the number of billionaires worldwide exceeded 3,000, and their wealth has reached an unimaginable level.

Most notably, Oxfam emphasizes how blatantly these ultra-wealthy individuals pursue power to satisfy their personal greed. Super billionaires like Musk and Bezos leverage their enormous assets to influence politicians, own or control media outlets, and directly intervene in policy-making processes.

Deepening Inequality Through Political and Media Domination

The most dangerous aspect of the ultra-wealthy’s pursuit of personal gain is that their pursuit of individual interests hampers the overall development of society. Oxfam Secretary-General Bell pointed out, “The excessive influence of the ultra-wealthy on politicians, the economy, and the media deepens inequality and diverts us from the right path of solving poverty.”

This is not just a warning. In fact, last year, the global poor did not decrease significantly, and the rate of poverty reduction has markedly slowed down. The report states that the current level of global poverty remains “roughly at the 2019 level.”

A World Where Poverty Stalls While Billionaires Prosper

Ultimately, this is the reality. The wealth of billionaires continues to expand day by day, but the quality of life improvements for ordinary citizens and the poor remain stagnant. As the ultra-wealthy seize political, media, and economic power to satisfy their personal greed, social inequality is deepening further. Oxfam warns that if this structural problem persists, global inequality will worsen even more.