It was another record year for the wealthiest people in America, as the price of admission to the country’s most exclusive club jumped nearly 18%. The minimum net worth to make The Forbes 400 list of richest Americans is now a record $2 billion, up from $1.7 billion a year ago. The group’s total net worth climbed to $2.7 trillion, up from $2.4 trillion, and the average net worth rose to $6.7 billion, up from $6 billion.
Even at these new heights, entrepreneurs are breaking into the ranks for the first time as they mint fortunes in everything from telecom to booze to fishing. There were 22 newcomers, 14 of whom are self-made entrepreneurs. Among the most notable: Arizona iced tea cofounder Don Vultaggio; Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings; Tito Beveridge, the creator of Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Chuck Bundrant, whose Trident Seafoods sells his fish to places like McDonald’s and Burger King; and Rocco Commisso, founder of cable TV and broadband firm Mediacom and owner of the New York Cosmos, a soccer club based in Brooklyn.
Politsturm: Forbes has recently released their list of the 400 wealthiest people in America. The total wealth of these individuals increased $300 billion to a record $2.7 trillion. Even bourgeois outlets such as Forbes are not hiding that the capitalist class is getting richer as our collectively produced wealth becomes consolidated into fewer and fewer hands. The capitalist economic system is systematically increasing the wealth of the capitalist class while the working class faces insecurity and declining prospects for a better future. The article states that new disruptive industries and technologies make space for newcomers onto the Forbes list. This is certainly true as evidenced by the several newcomers to the list. However, these newcomers are simply new capitalists and they are joining the ranks of the more established capitalists such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett. For the capitalist class this list should incite feelings of splendor. For the working class, however, we only have the ability to admire the fabulous wealth of the capitalist class. Make no mistake about it, the capitalists are stealing the produce of the working class and have the gall to boast of their opulent wealth. This will be the case unless we unite in solidarity as the working class and do something about it.