Report from Oxfam, a global movement fighting inequality, poverty and injustice, states that governments are choosing to protect the wealth and political power of billionaires rather than guarantee material dignity, political voice and civil liberties for the majority of the population. 
The report Resisting the Rule of the Rich: Defending Freedom Against the Power of Billionaires was launched by Oxfam on the occasion of the Davos 2026 World Economic Forum.
“This report is about that choice. How governments around the world are making the wrong choice; they are choosing to defend wealth, not freedom. Choosing the rule of the rich. Choosing to suppress the outrage of their people at how inaccessible and unbearable life is becoming, rather than redistribute wealth from the richest to the rest,” it says.
The document highlights the expansion of political power and the record growth in billionaires’ wealth, given the stagnation in the reduction of poverty in the world and the reduction of civil rights.
“In many countries, the super rich have not only accumulated more wealth than they could ever spend, they have also used that wealth to secure the political power to shape the rules that define our economies and govern our nations. At the same time, around the world, we are seeing a deterioration and rollback of the civil and political rights of the majority; the repression of protests; and the silencing of opposition.”
According to the report, billionaires are becoming politically rich and able to shape and influence politics, societies and economies. “In sharp contrast, those with less economic wealth are becoming politically poor, with their voices silenced in the face of growing authoritarianism and the suppression of rights.”
According to the document, the reduction in poverty has practically stagnated, with a new increase in poverty in Africa. “In 2022, almost half of the world’s population (48%), or 3.83 billion people, lived in poverty. Looking beyond income to other aspects of poverty, one in four people in the world faces moderate or severe food insecurity. This number increased by 42.6% between 2015 and 2024.”
“The conclusion of this report shows that this is not inevitable. Governments can choose to defend ordinary people rather than oligarchs. People themselves, when organized, can present a powerful counterweight to extreme wealth. Together, we can demand a more just and equal world”, concludes the text.
The full document can be accessed on the Oxfam website.
