According to bestselling author and journalist Julia Friedrichs, two-thirds of German billionaires' fortunes come largely from inheritances. Friedrichs said the newspaper The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Sunday online edition) used to be different. “We are no longer in post-war Germany, where people got rich on drugstore chains or engineering work. Today, newcomers like the founders of Biontech are rare.”
At the same time, Friedrichs criticized the fact that there are no government studies on the rich. It is not known exactly how the largest fortunes are distributed. According to the author, other countries have transparent records of wealth. In Germany, the state does not provide researchers with such data.
“Crazy Rich”
While researching the book “Crazy Rich. The Secret World of the Super Rich”, she met people who fit the stereotype owner private jet, but also those who travel on a daily basis bikes. According to the journalist, some were very concerned about the situation in Germany, “I wouldn't want to meet others for a beer in private.” There are very different people among the super-rich. Only one thing remains the same: “You talk mainly to older men from West Germany.”
Friedrichs admitted that in Germany the super-rich are met with social reluctance. However, it would be reasonable questionhow to share wealth so as not to cause envy and resentment? Many people believe that large fortunes are okay if they are the result of one's own effort, not birth. “The fact that billionaires have earned a thousand million times more than the rest is incomprehensible to anyone.”
A problem for democracy?
According to Friedrichs, this is also a problem for democracy because money means influence. For example, those who donate to political parties have easier access to decision-makers once they exceed certain amounts. “I think it’s risky in general to concentrate wealth in the hands of so few people and then expect them to have good ideas for solving the problems of our time.”
The expert advocated for a new debate between the rich and the rest, one that would show both sides what they have in common. “The super-rich are not heartless, and they give a lot to the country. Like the vast majority of us, they crave recognition and respect.”
(KNA/du)
The article comes from the website Deutsche Welle.