“It wasn’t just a movement for poor people, it was by poor people”

The anti-poverty charity Oxfam’s released a research report on January 19th called the: Wealth: Having it all and wanting more – PDF. The charity’s research shows that the share of the world’s wealth owned by the best-off 1% has increased from 44% in 2009 to 48% in 2014, while the least well-off 80% currently own just 5.5%. Oxfam added that on current trends the richest 1% would own more than 50% of the world’s wealth by 2016. Global Wealth Inequality – What you never knew you never knew – VIDEO. Wealth Inequality in America – VIDEO. Oxfam demands urgent action to narrow the gap between rich and poor, this ahead of this week’s World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. Oxfam’s executive director Winnie Byanyima said in a statement that the scale of global inequality was “simply staggering”. Oxfam based its prediction on data from the annual Credit Suisse Global Wealth datebook – PDF. Keep in mind, Thomas Piketty’s best-selling book Capital, had as main theme: “inequality is not an accident, but rather a feature of capitalism, and can only be reversed through state interventionism. The book thus argues that, unless capitalism is reformed, the very democratic order will be threatened." (TheWeek). What I personally find interesting, that on the day of Oxfam publication, january 19th, it was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembering M.L.K. myself today, through this post, I wanted to share a speech from him that is lesser-known, but still of extremely importance. It’s the "The Other America” speech, given at the Aurora Forum, Stanford Univ. in 1967. M.L.K. was making a shift at that time, this towards advocating against the war and advocating for economic justice.M.L.K. ‘s plan was to organize a mass civil disobedience campaign called the “Poor People’s Campaign.” Unfortunately this campaign was never realised. Let’s remember civil rights giant M.L.K.‘s legacy, and watch the till today, incredibly relevant speech here, It’s worth it — VIDEO HERE—-. Photo Copyright: Crmvet.org Learn more: The Economist – The purse of the one percent, VOX – The myth of race, The Guardian. Sharing=caring!