The power of billionaires

According to statistics from Forbes magazine , 2024 was a record year for the number of USD billionaires, with 2,781 billionaires worldwide, 141 more than the previous year. Among them are many powerful billionaires capable of influencing the world order and imposing their social models on humanity.

Billionaire Bill Gates during a visit to a medical center in Awutu Senya, Ghana. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

First, there's billionaire Elon Musk. When the conflict in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, Elon Musk provided internet service to Ukraine through Starlink satellites launched by his company SpaceX, allowing the country's citizens and military to access the internet with minimal interference from Russian attacks and jamming. However, just a few months later, Elon Musk unexpectedly announced on Twitter that he could no longer indefinitely fund the system.

According to Courrier International, this decision comes just days after Ukraine rejected Elon Musk's proposed peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. Olivier Lascar, editor-in-chief of the digital section of Sciences et Avenir magazine, expressed concern that an individual, a business owner, can now influence a war.

Next is Bill Gates. In 2000, billionaire Bill Gates and his wife founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) with the goal of improving healthcare, education, and poverty reduction worldwide. In 2018, the BMGF's funding reached $46.8 billion, higher than the GDP of Ivory Coast or Jordan at the same time. The BMGF is also a major donor to United Nations agencies responsible for health issues, especially the World Health Organization (WHO). According to 2020-2021 data on the WHO's official website, the BMGF was the world's second-largest donor, after Germany, with a total of $751 million.

Analyzing the influence of the BMGF, Stephanie Tchiombiano, a lecturer in Political Science at the Pantheon Sorbonne University in Paris, stated that the foundation of Bill and Melinda Gates can influence global health policies through various channels, such as its presence in global health management systems and its membership in the informal H8 (Health 8) group, which brings together world health leaders. “Many people are concerned that WHO decisions must wait for BMGF approval before they can be adopted,” said Stephanie Tchiombiano.

According to the Q2 2023 financial report of Meta Group, founded by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, the number of monthly active users across the entire Meta ecosystem is approximately 3.88 billion, a colossal figure. Holding data on one-third of the world's population, the Facebook CEO obviously possesses immense influence.

According to Christine Kerdellant, author of the book *Ces milliardaires plus forts que les États* (Billionaires are more powerful than the State), Mark Zuckerberg can influence elections. Not only can he change voters' ballots, but his social media platforms can also change users' aesthetic preferences.

Christine Kerdellant argues that there are two ways for governments to limit the power of billionaires. The first is to follow China's example of preventing the growth of American businesses in China, instead encouraging domestic businesses to create a balance between Chinese and American billionaires.

However, when businesses become capable of threatening government power in certain areas, the government will take other measures to intervene. The second approach is to do as Europe has done. They attempted to acquire 900 companies, aiming to interfere with competition from the outset and profit from what these companies generate. Additionally, there are tariff measures such as imposing a 15% global minimum tariff on multinational corporations…

The talent and contributions of these billionaires to society are undeniable: boosting the economy, improving living standards, and creating advancements for humanity. However, people and governments certainly never want to be dependent on or controlled by billionaires.

According to data from the Champs Élysées Institute of Aesthetics in Paris, France, the number of young people aged 15-25 seeking cosmetic surgery has increased tenfold. They want surgery because they've become accustomed to images of themselves enhanced by filters available on Facebook and Instagram, chasing after a virtual world created by these social media platforms. And instead of taking preventative measures or issuing warnings, Meta has made it increasingly addictive, as long as it can keep users engaged for as long as possible for advertising purposes.

MINH CHAU

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/quyen-luc-cua-cac-ty-phu-post745941.html