# The top 1% - the World over...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [July 6, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680 "2010-07-06T05:16:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/1 "2010-07-06T05:16:49Z")
The Sheiks…the Presidents…the crusty “Brethren” of the GUYS who ‘manage’ the World…
No matter what Country.
No matter what Continent.
No matter what ‘Form of Government.’
The TOP 1% Percenters.
Who are they?
Those folks who, in their families, OWN the Treasure.
They own US.
On every continent.
In every circumstance.
The Millionaires.
The Billionaires.
In every country and on every Continent.
THEY RULE.
There is, apparently, no moral code, no humanity, greater than Cash.
Greater than assets.
I guess the whole of the World agrees to this.
Since EVERY country on EVERY continent under EVERY form of Government have let the folks with $$$$ RULE.
Oh…wait…
$$$$$$$$ is what funds Wars.
Oh…wait…
$$$ is what makes the assets of the “Ruling Class” convince the (L)ower and (Middle) classes that !THEY TOO! may, one day be Millionaires or Billionaires!
And…the Poor Middle Classes ‘buy’ it.
The World over.
The ‘Masses’ keep working and working and working.
In every Country and on every level of Government and knowledge.
To keep on enriching a class of folks who believe the billions ‘beneath’ them deserve to struggle.
And why is that?
---
### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/2 "2010-07-06T05:22:15Z")
> [@lurking\_guest](#):
>
> And why is that?
Because the alternative is worse.
---
### Author:  [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/3 "2010-07-06T05:24:08Z")
> [@lurking\_guest](#):
>
> Who are they?
The Queen. The Vatican. The Gettys. The Rothschilds. AND Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with his wee beady eyes, and that smug look on his face. “Oh, you’re gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!”
---
### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/4 "2010-07-06T05:28:34Z")
Money can influence political decisions, no doubt. Many of the rich folks for whom you hold much disdain got their money the old fashioned way: they inherited it.
A lot of rich people (Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates) are self-made million and billionaires. People who are smart, and who were fortunate enough to use their own intelligence and influences to make money. Luck sometimes has a bit to do with it too.
If you’re feeling jealous you could try getting an education, and then using that education and a very strong work ethic to make something of yourself, instead of trying to pretend that there’s some sort of world-wide conspiracy to subvert the lower classes.
No one said the world is fair, and capitalism seems to be the best choice for most of us.
---
### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/5 "2010-07-06T05:46:15Z")
Woohoo! The crazy has come to town! \o/
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### Author:  [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/6 "2010-07-06T06:00:20Z")
LEAFFAN…are you kidding me?
Do you have any NOTION of what BILLIONS of $Dollars are? (Except for the “DEFICIT” squackers.)
Do you really BELIEVE that Bill Gates or the money-holders in Russia or the Middle East or Central America…(drugs, arms, nuclear pre eminence…)
Saudi Arabia
The United Arab Emerits,
believe in
CAPATILISM.
Or, Democracy?
How about this?
JUST MAKING MONEY!!!
No matter WHAT it takes or WHO it takes or WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT it takes or what LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS it takes, or what CONTINENT it takes or what HISTORY it takes… NONE OF MATTERS…To Wall Street or the Bill Gates’es or the Rulers of Russia or the Middle East… Only MAKING MONEY.
Only building Power and Control.
And until the ‘other’ billions of folks on the planet understand this…
---
### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/7 "2010-07-06T06:11:18Z")
You might want to take a look [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation) at the nasty, nasty things the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is donating money to.
---
### Author:  [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/8 "2010-07-06T06:28:16Z")
Oh good for them.
Bill and Melinda Gates.
Perhaps their attention to and commitment to lesser/and,or yet another ‘Money-Maker’ should not be unnoticed…
Poor Bill…loving computers.
Working at it with Paul Allen…in basements…’…back in the day…’
A Billionaire.
A regular guy.
HIS - Bill Gates - intelligence came from? Was challenged by? Came to fruition because of?..
His parents? His private schooling? His folks connections?
---
### Author:  [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/9 "2010-07-06T06:32:11Z")
For God’s sakes!
Can you NOT understand that the kind of ‘every day kind of guy on the street’… isn’t just as important as the BILL GATE(ES) of the World?
BUT…THIS is AMERICA…where ALL “…men are created equal…”
RIIIGHT…
---
### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/10 "2010-07-06T06:34:17Z")
What I hate is that those fuckers have all but monopolized complete paragraphs.
Oh… wait…
Maybe it’s easier.
To.
Write like this.
Is this easier for you?
To understand?
I like capitalism.
It gives me access to the Straight Dope, to kitty toys, to vacations.
I like private property. It gives me my own shoes.
And socks.
And a nice stereo system.
I work with the developing.
World.
So my income is about a third to…
…half what it otherwise would be in…
…the PRIVATE sector.
But just.
Because friends from school are driving nicer cars
and have nicer things
Doesn’t mean I’m worse
off
because of it.
Living under this
social contract
necessarily
entails that I accept some gross
wealth disparities.
You do not have to be
Libertarian.
You do not HAVE to be
Republican.
You DO not have TO be
Democrat.
you do NOT have to be
Anarchist.
To work towards LeVeLiNg the playing field
somewhat.
Nor does doing so conflict with any of the above.
ETA:
Shit.
I just noticed.
This is IN THE pit.
That means
I
can
call
you
a
dipshit
with
sophomoric
ramblings
and
inane
opinions
and childish
ways
of expressing
yOURself
---
### Author:  [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/11 "2010-07-06T06:36:16Z")
Indeed, whats the matter with Kansas?
Income inequality is becoming a global problem. The US’s gini coefficient is closer to latin america than Europe. China’s is growing rapidly. India’s economic growth is leaving millions behind. Latin America still has high rates and I don’t know if they are going down.
I don’t think it is sustainable. No idea what’ll happen though.
---
### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/12 "2010-07-06T06:51:58Z")
> [@lurking\_guest](#):
>
> The Sheiks…the Presidents…the crusty “Brethren” of the GUYS who ‘manage’ the World…
>
> No matter what Country.
> No matter what Continent.
> No matter what ‘Form of Government.’
>
> The TOP 1% Percenters.
>
> Who are they?
Lizard people. ALL of them. :eek:
> [@lurking\_guest](#):
>
> $$$ is what makes the assets of the “Ruling Class” convince the (L)ower and (Middle) classes that !THEY TOO! may, one day be Millionaires or Billionaires!
>
> And…the Poor Middle Classes ‘buy’ it.
Not really, no. That’s more an American thing.
---
### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/13 "2010-07-06T07:09:57Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> Lizard people. ALL of them. :eek:
But how can we be sure the Lizard People aren’t being controlled by someone? :dubious:
---
### Author:  [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/14 "2010-07-06T07:26:48Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> But how can we be sure the Lizard People aren’t being controlled by someone? :dubious:
so who is hiding under the bees?
---
### Author:  [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/15 "2010-07-06T08:06:58Z")
so
i
herd
u
liek
mudkipz
??
---
### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/16 "2010-07-06T08:43:30Z")
Rumor has it that there are countries where there are no poor people and very few rich people – and even they aren’t terribly rich – and the people there have the audacity to be happy anyway.
Bizarre, isn’t it?
---
### Author:  [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/17 "2010-07-06T09:02:30Z")
And where is this country, Zoe?
And do you believe it could exist?
“…no poor people…” “…very few rich people…”
And “…the people there have the audacity to be happy anyway.”
I guess, in Zoe’s world, that there are “…very few…” “rich” people…" means that…??
One persons’ work is worth less than 1/300th than another persons’.
And that’s OK?
Parse that out, Zoe.
That a janitor at a school with two or three children, a house, a car, health insurance to maintain, taxes, insurance and a job to lose… is worth 300 times LESS than one of the educated assholes that brought our economy to ruin.
Go ahead.
Explain it.
---
### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/18 "2010-07-06T09:37:59Z")
Haven’t we already done this thread four or five times?
---
### Author:  [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/19 "2010-07-06T09:45:46Z")
No.
---
### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-top-1-the-world-over/545680/20 "2010-07-06T09:49:41Z")
> [@lurking\_guest](#):
>
> Parse that out, Zoe.
Alanis called; she wants her song back.
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