Forbes Rich List underlines warped economic system as more billionaires created

Published: 20th March 2017

Commenting on the 2017 Forbes billionaires list, which revealed a record 233 new billionaires, Oxfam's Head of Inequality Policy Max Lawson said:

"A world where more new billionaires have been created in a year than ever before shows signs of economic sickness rather than health.

"Our warped economic model leads to more unequal societies that trap millions of people in poverty - it allows an elite group to accrue extreme wealth while one in nine people go to bed hungry every night.

"We need to build a more human economy, where the super-rich pay their fair share of tax, workers earn a living wage, and governments invest in decent healthcare and education to give everyone a good start in life."
 

Notes to editors

Contact information

Melanie Kramers: mkramers1@oxfam.org.uk  +44 (0)7825 088894  

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