Oxfam: 8 richest men worth equivalent of half the world

Oxfam is promoting the idea that the 8 richest men worth equivalent of half the world ahead of the World Economic Forum opening in Davos.

The wealth of the world's poorest 3.6 billion people is the equivalent to the combined net worth of six American businessmen, one from Spain and another from Mexico.
Oxfam pointed to a link between the vast gap between rich and poor and growing discontent with mainstream politics around the world.

Bill Gates. Net Worth: $75 B. ... (age 61)
Amancio Ortega. Net Worth: $67 B. ... (age 80) SPAIN
Warren Buffett. Net Worth: $60.8 B. ...(age 86)
Carlos Slim Helu. Net Worth: $50 B. ... (age 76)MEXICO
Jeff Bezos. Net Worth: $45.2 B. ...(age 53)
Mark Zuckerberg. Net Worth: $44.6 B. ... (age 32)
Larry Ellison. Net Worth: $43.6 B. ... (age 72)
Michael Bloomberg. Net Worth: $40 B. . . (age 74)

"Responsive and responsible leadership" has been chosen as the theme of the summit, which organisers said was a response to a "backlash against globalisation leading to two surprising vote results and a rise in populism in the West".

In its report Oxfam called for an increase in tax rates targeting "rich individuals and cooperations", as well as a global agreement to end competition between countries to lower corporate tax rates.

The charity also condemned lobbying by corporations and the closeness of business and politics, calling for mandatory public lobby registries and stronger rules on conflicts of interest.

Quote: Pacomartin

In its report Oxfam called for an increase in tax rates targeting "rich individuals and cooperations", as well as a global agreement to end competition between countries to lower corporate tax rates.

The problem with such "soak the rich" prescriptions, is they often end up soaking the middle class, in particular small businesses. Consider the alternative minimum tax, for example. Or consider regulations. A regulation that Wal-Mart can comply with at a cost can also drive a small bodega out of business.

The problem right now is not that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, but that the middle class isn't getting richer the way it used to. Part of the problem is taxes and regulations on corporations that wind up throttling small businesses

Quote: Nareed

The problem right now is not that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, but that the middle class isn't getting richer the way it used to. Part of the problem is taxes and regulations on corporations that wind up throttling small businesses.

That comment could easily come from any politically conservative person from the USA. I must assume you would lean Republican given a different personality in the candidate. I am curious how you felt about GW Bush.

I may be mistaken, but I would think the constantly shrinking value of the pesos would affect CDMX finances more than "taxes and regulations on corporations'.

Quote: Pacomartin

That comment could easily come from any politically conservative person from the USA. I must assume you would lean Republican given a different personality in the candidate.

Hell, no. The GOP at most gives lip service to free market ideas. They don't mean it. What they do mean is the "social conservative" heavy-handed authoritarian crap.

But people think they do favor free markets. So when they go and use government power, people blame non-existent free market policies for the resulting failure.

Quote:

I am curious how you felt about GW Bush.

I had hoped he'd emulate his father and be a one-term president. Upon reconsideration, I'd have been happy had he emulated his father and carried out a rational foreign policy. That said, I did not favor Kerry in 2004. He was even more vacuous than Bush the younger.

Quote: Nareed

Hell, no. The GOP at most gives lip service to free market ideas. They don't mean it.

Cuál partido usted a favor: Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), el Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD) y el Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)?

Quote: Pacomartin

Cuál partido usted a favor: Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), el Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD) y el Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)?

As I said once: these are the main three reason I don't vote.

Quote: Pacomartin

Cuál partido usted a favor: Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), el Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD) y el Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)?

Which party do you (formal) prefer? National Action Party, Democratic Revolution Party, or the Party of Institutional Revolution?

Wrong thread, but I think Wiz's stuff is working ;)

Porfirio Diaz won his 8th election for four year terms in 1910. Wealthy landowner Francisco I. Madero challenged Díaz in 1910 presidential election, but the election was rigged results and Madero was arrested and imprisoned. Madero escaped to San Antonio and wrote the Plan of San Luis Potosí which sparked a bloody revolution. By May 1911 Diaz fled to Paris France where he lived out the remaining 4 years of his life.

The 1910-1920 revolution would kill roughly twice as many people as the American Civil War, out of a population that was less than half the size of the USA in the 1860's.

Population of Mexico in Millions
15.160 1910
14.409 1920
16.553 1930
19.815 1940

Madero was assassinated on 22 February 1913. José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a later president of Mexico. but was forced to resign and flee the country in 1914, after 17 months as president. While attempting to intrigue with German spies in the United States during World War I, Huerta was arrested in 1915 and died in U.S. custody. President José Venustiano Carranza Garza was assassinated fleeing Mexico City in 1920. President Álvaro Obregón was assassinated in 1928.

After one president fled to France, three presidents were assassinated and another died in US custody, the PRI essentially made Mexico a one party state for 72 years.

Quote: Pacomartin

After one president fled to France, three presidents were assassinated and another died in US custody, the PRI essentially made Mexico a one party state for 72 years.

Americans ought to be grateful the one time they fought a civil war, the sides were organized along geographical lines. This is incredibly rare, and it spared them armed political infighting.

looking at that list makes me think of
John D Rockefeller. If you take everything
into account, at his height, in today's
dollars, he was worth $400-$450 billion.
They say nobody will ever even come
close to that. He couldn't have spent it
all if he wanted, there just wasn't that
many expensive things to buy in those
days.