The three wealthiest US families, the Waltons, the Mars family and the Koch brothers have a combined fortune that is 4 million times the average US family, or $350 billion. Since 1982, their grotesque wealth increased by nearly 6,000%, while the average household has seen their wealth decline.
The dynastic wealth of the Walton family, owners of Walmart, grew from $690 million in 1982 to $169.7 billion in 2018, an increase of more than 9,000%.
These families and others like them have amassed their wealth by exploitation and one of the ways they use their considerable wealth is corrupting governments in order to further enrich themselves. They buy and sell politicians to do their bidding.
This disparity is not unique to the US and not unique to now. The same kind of wealth domination is rampant globally and studies have shown in England and Italy, the same families have ruled over society for hundreds of years.
If history is a lesson, the heirs of today’s billionaires will dominate humanity economically, politically and culturally for hundreds of years to come if something is not done.
Image adapted from: “GREED” by CHRISTOPHER DOMBRES is in the Public Domain
ANARCHIMEDIA 