The Engineered Rise of the Billionaire Class

2 hours ago7 min read

The dramatic surge in the global billionaire population is not a natural outcome of economic growth but the direct result of deliberate policy choices that have systematically concentrated wealth. By 2025, the world is home to over 3,000 billionaires, a stark increase from just 66 in 1990, with the United States accounting for nearly a third of them.This expansion reflects a profound power shift: the top 0. 1 percent's share of national wealth has grown from 7 percent to 18 percent, creating a chasm of inequality that is fueling widespread public discontent.Surveys show 67 percent of Americans now believe billionaires make society less fair, a sentiment amplified by the visible extravagance of private superyachts and exclusive concerts that stand in stark contrast to the financial struggles of average households. The root of this disparity lies in a tax system redesigned over decades to favor capital over labor.The average tax rate for the top 400 richest Americans has been halved over the past fifty years, while rates for the bottom 90 percent have remained largely unchanged. This engineered inequality has ignited a potent political backlash, embodied by figures like Zohran Mamdani, whose campaign framed every billionaire as a policy failure.The fusion of economic and political power became unmistakable during the second Trump presidency, which was ushered in with billionaire backing and saw key administration roles filled by the ultra-wealthy. Subsequent legislation, such as the 'one big beautiful bill,' enacted historic wealth transfers that dismantled support for the vulnerable while bolstering the fortunes of the top tier.Historian Ramsay MacMullen’s observation on Rome’s decline—'Fewer had more'—resonates with alarming relevance today. The American dream of upward mobility is eroding; a child born now has less than half the chance of out-earning their parents compared to a child born in 1940.The public's frustration is not with wealth itself, but with a system rigged to ensure its accumulation at the very top, transforming the billionaire from a symbol of success into an emblem of systemic failure. The central question is no longer about the number of billionaires, but about the future we choose: a society governed by the concentrated power of a few or one that renews the democratic promise of shared prosperity for all.

#billionaires

#wealth inequality

#tax policy

#protests

#featured

#economic fairness

#political influence

Stay Informed. Act Smarter.

Get weekly highlights, major headlines, and expert insights — then put your knowledge to work in our live prediction markets.

Comments

Loading comments...