The wealth of the world's ten richest people has doubled since the start of the pandemic, while the incomes of the 99% of humanity have declined, according to an Oxfam report published today.
«The widening of economic, racial, gender, and cross-national inequalities is destroying our world,» the nongovernmental organization stated in its report titled “Inequality Kills.”.
The wealth accumulated by billionaires has risen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic “the largest increase ever recorded, by $5 billion, to reach its highest point,” $13.8 trillion.
Among the ten richest people, according to Forbes magazine, is the Elon Musk, the head of Tesla, the Jeff Bezos Amazon's, the Bernard Arnault of LVMH, the Bill Gates Microsoft's, the Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook, o Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway and the Larry Ellison Oracle's.
The NGO added that «we can tackle extreme poverty through progressive taxation» and public, free healthcare systems for all. At the same time, Oxfam also recommends to ensure that the formation of unions is not hindered and that intellectual property rights on vaccines are lifted.
According to the NGO, «at least 21,000 people die every day» as a result of these inequalities, a figure it bases on deaths recorded worldwide due to lack of access to healthcare, domestic violence, hunger, and the climate crisis.
«A one-time tax of 99% on the income earned by the ten richest people during the pandemic would make it possible to produce enough vaccines for the entire world, provide medical and social care to everyone, fund climate adaptation, and reduce gender-based violence in 80 countries,» Oxfam cited as an example.
The NGO clarified that even if that were to happen, “”These people will have $8 billion more than they did before the pandemic.".
«The billionaires had an amazing pandemic. Central banks were pumping millions upon millions of dollars into the markets to save the economy, much of which ended up in the pockets of billionaires».
For its part, the World Economic Forum in Davos warned that the vast inequalities in access to COVID-19-19 vaccines risk undermining the fight for major global goals, such as tackling climate change.
