Billions of people wake up daily to uncertainty about meals, shelter, education, and healthcare. This is not simply an economic disparity; it is a structural divide rooted in a deeply flawed global system.
Charity is not justice. Donations, while helpful, do not address root causes. Moreover, philanthropy is often used as a shield to avoid higher taxes and scrutiny.
By Abdullah Usman Morai |Sweden
A World Tilted by Wealth
We live in a world of grand contradictions. On one end, there are billionaires whose fortunes grow by the minute, sipping champagne on private yachts and influencing global politics with a whisper. On the other end, billions of people wake up daily to uncertainty about meals, shelter, education, and healthcare. This is not simply an economic disparity; it is a structural divide rooted in a deeply flawed global system. The term “minority” often conjures images of marginalized communities, but in the case of wealth, the minority, the ultra-rich, are the most powerful, protected, and least scrutinized.
This article seeks to explore the phenomenon of the ultra-wealthy minority, how they accumulate and preserve their power, and what it means for democracy, justice, and the everyday individual. With real-world examples, reflections from economists and social critics, and data-driven insights, we examine whether societies built around such imbalanced structures can ever truly thrive.
The Numbers Behind the Inequality
In 2024, Oxfam reported that the richest 1% of the world’s population captured nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020. That is $42 trillion—twice as much as the bottom 99% of humanity. Even more striking is that the top 0.1%—just a few thousand people—possess more wealth than 4.5 billion people combined.
In the United States, three individuals—Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffet—own more wealth than the bottom 50% of the population. In Pakistan, a similar pattern emerges. Feudal landlords, industrial magnates, and dynastic politicians form a powerful elite who control vast assets and policy-making levers.
While the global middle class is shrinking and poverty levels remain high in the developing world, the luxury markets for yachts, private jets, and elite education are booming. This is not simply wealth generation—it is wealth hoarding.
Power Through Wealth, Wealth Through Power
The ultra-rich don’t just accumulate wealth—they accumulate influence. Political donations, lobbying, and media ownership give them disproportionate control over public policy, electoral outcomes, and national narratives. This cycle—where money buys power, and power protects money—is what keeps them at the top.
In Pakistan, political offices often double as business portfolios. Sugar mills, cement factories, and textile empires are run by families with strong parliamentary presence. Policies are shaped not by need but by interest. Agricultural subsidies benefit large landowners more than small farmers. Tax exemptions are designed with elite business interests in mind.
Consider the 2023 federal budget: while indirect taxes on food and fuel increased for ordinary citizens, tax breaks for large-scale industries were preserved. The message is clear: the system favors those who already have.
The Myth of Meritocracy
We are conditioned to believe that success is the result of hard work, intelligence, and persistence. While these factors do matter, they are dwarfed by another silent force: inherited privilege. Born into the right family, one is afforded access to elite education, startup capital, powerful networks, and even immunity from legal consequences.
On the flip side, the child of a farmer in Badin or a laborer in Lyari may possess incredible talent and ambition, yet face insurmountable structural barriers. From underfunded schools to discriminatory hiring practices, the path to social mobility is littered with obstacles for the poor.
Case Study: A young boy from rural Sindh topped provincial exams in 2022 but lacked funds for higher education. His story only made headlines when a philanthropist stepped in. Without that media coverage, his brilliance would have faded into obscurity—another casualty of an unfair system.
The Emotional and Social Cost of Inequality
Wealth inequality is not just about money—it’s about worth, dignity, and belonging. When the rich live in opulence and the poor in precarity, it creates psychological chasms. People lose trust in institutions, in justice, and in the very idea of fairness.
Mental health disorders, depression, resentment, and societal anger rise in environments where people feel unseen and undervalued. Urban centers in Pakistan—Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad—are divided into zones of wealth and zones of deprivation. In the same city, someone may order sushi on an app while another begs for bread at a traffic signal.
Sociological Insight: According to the World Inequality Database, societies with higher wealth gaps also experience greater political instability, social unrest, and criminal activity. The perception that “the game is rigged” fuels alienation and hopelessness.
Media Glorification and Manufactured Dreams
The media plays a powerful role in shaping public aspirations. From glamorous TV shows to influencer culture on Instagram, the rich are portrayed not as exploiters but as heroes. Their lifestyles are romanticized—designer clothes, foreign vacations, mega-weddings. Yet few question how this wealth is acquired or why such inequality is normal.
In reality, many of these individuals benefit from low wages, tax evasion, monopolistic practices, and political collusion. But by presenting wealth as a result of genius or divine favor, the media distorts reality.
Example: The son of a billionaire landlord with thousands of acres in Sindh recently became a social media sensation for his luxury travel videos. Meanwhile, families working on his land remain trapped in poverty, often without access to clean drinking water.
The Illusion of Philanthropy
Philanthropy is often offered as the moral justification for extreme wealth. “They give back,” we’re told. But charity is not justice. Donations, while helpful, do not address root causes. Moreover, philanthropy is often used as a shield to avoid higher taxes and scrutiny.
Global Example: Bill Gates donates billions to health causes, but Microsoft was once accused of monopolistic practices that harmed small competitors. Similarly, in Pakistan, many tycoons run charitable foundations while stashing money in offshore accounts.
True justice demands systemic reform, not sporadic generosity.
Can a Society Built on Inequality Ever Be Just?
The concentration of wealth leads to the concentration of everything else—power, justice, media narratives, even truth. Democracies are compromised when a few can influence elections. Legal systems bend when the rich can afford elite lawyers and political connections.
When a poor person commits theft out of desperation, they face jail time. When a billionaire launders billions through fake companies, they face media interviews.
This duality creates a two-tier society: one for the elite and one for everyone else. Justice becomes relative. Rights become negotiable. And dignity becomes a luxury.
What Should Be Done? Systemic Solutions
Fixing wealth inequality requires more than personal responsibility—it requires structural change:
- Progressive Taxation: The rich must pay proportionately more. No exceptions. No loopholes.
- Universal Basic Services: Education, healthcare, and housing must be rights, not privileges.
- Inheritance Limits: To stop dynastic wealth from choking merit and opportunity.
- Corporate Transparency: Companies must disclose ownership, tax practices, and labor conditions.
- Citizen Empowerment: Encourage civic education, voting participation, and legal awareness among the poor.
Countries like Norway, Finland, and New Zealand have shown that with the right mix of capitalism and social justice, societies can be both prosperous and equitable.
What Can You and I Do?
We are not powerless. Each of us has a role to play:
- Question narratives: Don’t blindly admire wealth. Ask how it was earned.
- Support ethical businesses: Choose those who pay fair wages and treat workers with dignity.
- Engage politically: Vote for policies and people who support equity.
- Educate others: Share information. Awareness is the first step toward resistance.
Even conversations —like this article—are gentle acts of quiet resistance against a system designed to silence critique.
Conclusion: Reimagining Wealth, Power, and Humanity
The minority of rich people are not just rich in money—they are rich in influence, in security, and in access. But this richness comes at a cost to the collective. The rest of society pays the price through exploitation, exclusion, and eroded dignity.
We must ask: What kind of world do we want? One where a few live like gods while the many struggle for crumbs? Or one where success is shared, justice is blind, and every child, regardless of birthplace, has a chance to thrive?
The true greatness of a society lies not in how it treats its wealthiest, but how it uplifts its weakest.
In the words of author Anand Giridharadas:
“If billionaires are the heroes of our age, the question is: who made them heroes, and who gets to write the story?”
It’s time we take back the pen.
Read – Opinion: Feudalism Must Fall
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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.
