A stark new report from Oxfam has laid bare the accelerating concentration of global wealth and power, revealing that the world's billionaires now hold a collective fortune of $18.3 trillion (£13.7tn). The charity's annual inequality survey, published amidst climate justice protests at the World Economic Forum in Davos, accuses participating corporations of fuelling crises and profiting from them.
The Rise of the Super-Rich and the Stalling of Progress
Oxfam's data shows that 2025 saw a record number of billionaires, surpassing 3,000 for the first time. Since 2020, their combined wealth has ballooned by an astonishing 81%, or $8.2tn. The charity states this sum alone would be enough to eradicate global poverty 26 times over. This explosion in wealth for the few contrasts sharply with what the report describes as a stall in global efforts to combat poverty, hunger, and food insecurity, which now affects billions.
"Governments worldwide are making the wrong choice; choosing to defend wealth, not freedom. Choosing the rule of the rich," said Max Lawson, co-author of the report. He accused states of brutally repressing widespread youth-led protests over austerity, unemployment, and corruption, rather than addressing the root causes of inequality.
The 'Brazen' Marriage of Money and Politics
The report's authors argue that the economically rich are becoming politically powerful on an unprecedented scale. "In the past, rich people were perhaps more coy about pulling the levers of power, but it’s becoming more and more brazen, this kind of marriage between money and politics," Lawson stated.
This influence is quantified in several ways. Oxfam estimates that a billionaire is 4,000 times more likely than an ordinary person to hold political office. Furthermore, more than half of the world's media companies and nine of the top ten social media platforms are owned by billionaires. Research from the US cited in the report suggests a policy backed by the wealthy has a 45% chance of adoption, compared to just 18% if they oppose it.
Grassroots Anger and Global Uprisings
The human cost of this inequality is highlighted by activists on the ground. In Nairobi's Mathare slum, social justice campaigner Wanjira Wanjiru described the stark contrast between communities lacking clean water and a neighbouring golf club with constantly running sprinklers. She said the Kenyan government had capitulated to wealthy interests, imposing austerity on public services while granting business tax exemptions.
However, the past year has also seen a significant backlash. The report points to youth-led uprisings across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In September 2025, protests in Nepal over corruption unseated the government, with anger directed at figures like Binod Chaudhary, the country's sole billionaire and an MP. Protestor Pradip Gyawali called it part of a "new revolution" where the global youth demand a say in politics.
Despite the repression, Wanjiru remains hopeful. "When people are oppressed, they always rebel," she said, predicting that systems will be forced to work for the people. Oxfam's report serves as a urgent warning that without a decisive shift towards redistributing wealth and power, such global unrest is likely to intensify.
