Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/662/11431
From The Socialist newspaper, 16 March 2011
The rich get richer - by another $1 trillion
THE LATEST rich list produced by the Forbes magazine shows that the collective wealth of the world's 1,210 billionaires has reached a new record high of $4.5 trillion - up nearly $1 trillion on last year's total.
At the same time three billion people (around 50% of the world's population) exist on a meagre $2 a day. In fact only three years ago it was estimated that the world's richest 225 people had combined assets equal to the combined annual income of the world's 2.5 billion poorest people. This glaring gap in wealth has undoubtedly widened since then.
Such inequality, combined with the accompanying huge disparities in health and other life chances between rich and poor, are the products of the profit-driven capitalist system. This system almost went bust two years ago, in part due to the speculative greed of rich financiers. But it was rescued by pro-capitalist governments using trillions of dollars of public funds ie our money.
As Mahatma Gandhi once remarked: "We have enough for everybody's need. But not enough for everybody's greed."
So the next time rich politicians Cameron or Clegg or any other defender of this system parrots "we're all in it together" or, "we can't afford to maintain current levels of spending on public services", etc, then tell them to make the rich pay!
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In The Socialist 16 March 2011:
Anti-cuts campaign
Defend jobs and services: Protest 26 March
Building the battle against the cuts - now and beyond 26 March
Campaigning against all cuts and privatisation
Socialist Party news and analysis
Hutton's plans mean savage cuts - Fight to defend your pension!
Vote for a socialist alternative
Huge protests against job insecurity
The rich get richer - by another $1 trillion
Youth fight for jobs
March from Jarrow with Youth Fight for Jobs
For real jobs not exploitation
Socialist Party workplace news
Northern Ireland: Broad left gains in union elections
Privatisation threat to the blood service?
Defend jobs and education at Newcastle College
Action called off by Birmingham bin workers
Left victory in building workers' union
International socialist news and analysis
Japan: Tsunami results in misery for millions
Workers hit hard by earthquake and tsunami
Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories: "We'll struggle like in Egypt"
Tunisia: 'You come back - we come back'
Saudi troops to suppress Bahrain protesters
Socialist Party campaigns
Thousands protest against Lib Dems in Sheffield
Protester challenges Lib Dem MP to debate
Lively discussion at LGBT meeting
Leeds: Celebrating International Women's Day
Celebrate International Workers' Day in the Socialist with a May Day greeting
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