Inequality - how wealth becomes power | (Poverty Richness Documentary) D...

Inequality - how wealth becomes power | (Poverty Richness Documentary) DW Documentary
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DW Documentary
Published on Aug 18, 2018

Germany is one of the world’s richest countries, but inequality is on the rise. The wealthy are pulling ahead, while the poor are falling behind.  [Online until: 17 September 2018]

For the middle classes, work is no longer a means of advancement. Instead, they are struggling to maintain their position and status. Young people today have less disposable income than previous generations. This documentary explores the question of inequality in Germany, providing both background analysis and statistics. The filmmakers interview leading researchers and experts on the topic. And they accompany Christoph Gröner, one of Germany’s biggest real estate developers, as he goes about his work. "If you have great wealth, you can’t fritter it away through consumption. If you throw money out the window, it comes back in through the front door,” Gröner says. The real estate developer builds multi-family residential units in cities across Germany, sells condominium apartments, and is involved in planning projects that span entire districts.  "Entrepreneurs are more powerful than politicians, because we’re more independent,” Gröner concludes. Leading researchers and experts on the topic of inequality also weigh in, including Nobel-prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, economist Thomas Piketty, and Brooke Harrington, who carried out extensive field research among investors from the ranks of the international financial elite. Branko Milanović, a former lead economist at the World Bank, says that globalization is playing a role in rising inequality. The losers of globalization are the lower-middle class of affluent countries like Germany. "These people are earning the same today as 20 years ago," Milanović notes. "Just like a century ago, humankind is standing at a crossroads. Will affluent countries allow rising equality to tear apart the fabric of society? Or will they resist this trend?”
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Category
Education

Crolo Myers
Crolo Myers
3 days ago
I love that when the stock market goes up, it means absolutely nothing for those who aren’t rich, and when the stock market goes down, it means we lose our jobs.

114


F Harrison
F Harrison
4 days ago
I never understand why poor don’t stick their heads to the work and save up to lift them up in developed countries.

As a person come from third world country, I did exactly that with no degree of college for 5 years, so did my wife. Only buy 2 pair of sneakers per year, and still wearing cloth 6 years ago, never buy a Starbucks, only takeout food I buy is 1 dollar Mac chicken from Macdonald, and 99% cooking at home.

Last year, we spent our saving on a 2 family house on Staten Island, New York, with no mortgage. Now we are renting 2 floors out for 3,600 Dollar per month for rent, and me and my wife are living in another floor.

Life is all about choice, and wealth is all about sacrifice, a good life needs make good choice and big sacrifice

33


D Sun
D Sun
2 days ago (edited)
I have to say DW is way better than CNN, BBC, Fox news...etc, those media organizations always try really hard to spread their propaganda, to brainwash their audiences. DW on the other hand just tell the stories as the way they are, let the audiences to decide themselves.

257

DW Documentary

C O
C O
1 day ago (edited)
3:05
"I'm not paid to drive the car, so it is more efficient to get a driver and use my time better"
Ok.
* Wastes time running up the steps just minutes later.
* Uses an employee on working time to time him with a stop watch..

21


Bad Xerge
Bad Xerge
4 days ago
This is why guaranteed basic income would never work, rents would only go higher, same thing that happens when minimum salaries go up, the markets are designed for people to pay as much as they think they can afford on housing and earn as little as possible from their labor, and if someone is lucky enough to earn more than what they need, they will spend it on banalities like an iphone or name brand clothing, tickets to sports events or music festivals, this is our society and it will not change in the next 1000 years, sure some families might loose their inherited wealth, but the system will continue.

41


Alexei Ramotar
Alexei Ramotar
3 days ago
The super rich are the new nobility. Democracy is just a facade where people think they get a chance to change things.

184


Safouane Pieterse
Safouane Pieterse
3 days ago
Rich people like to embellish their own persona. It is literally physically impossible to work 20 hours a day for any long period.

57


Ama Zeus
Ama Zeus
4 days ago
This is not only in Germany...it is everywhere! It is a global issue!

147


I agree
I agree
3 days ago
So you have a former construction worker who built his wealth from nothing meanwhile a security guard with multilingual skill is working for EUR2k because he is comfortable with the amount of responsibility he is given.
Where is the inequality? I only see free choice and opportunity for those willing to take larger responsibilities.

121


HAxan doesStuff
HAxan doesStuff
1 day ago
unbiased journalism... it's like a breeze of fresh air, thank you.

24

DW Documentary

MIKExMASSACREx
MIKExMASSACREx
2 days ago
The rich guy is honestly correct!!! I can only wish corporations had the same honesty of this guy in germany, he actually pays his workers enough to survive. That’s perfectly fine there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s when employers do what they do in America is when it’s corrupt. They don’t want to pay enough to provide their employees with housing and food....basic necessities

24


Steve sb
Steve sb
3 days ago (edited)
There is no time in history when equality was the norm .......people have different abilities

21


Peter Anon
Peter Anon
2 days ago
Imagine ten people sitting at a table laden with food. Two people at that table conclude that all the food on that table (nature's gifts ) is just for them. Convinced of their special rights they then begin to use their arms, mouth and intellect to persuade others at the table that they are less deserving of the food on display. cheers Peter

9


Will Moffett
Will Moffett
2 days ago
"All self-made" is always a lie when you look into a given case. What needs to be destroyed is not some fair system that results in inequality. What needs to be destroyed is the myth that the system is fair and meritocratic. Unfortunately programs like this don't really address that false mythology, instead just sort of pretending to be critical while signaling subtly that the current economic inequality mirrors the inherent inequality of life and of talent and worthiness. But it doesn't. It results from illegal and unethical decisions which bad people cooperatively make.

24


Stoney
Stoney
4 days ago
I don’t buy that inequality is worse today then previous generations. The history of Europe and most of the world has been about a very few families that control everything. At least today you can move up and not be from the right family, race, or religion. Yes minority’s are at a disadvantage in many areas but at least they have a shot unlike previous generations.

Bottom line is working for other people will almost always limit your financial success.

146


Shahab Ahmad
Shahab Ahmad
2 days ago
DW is always trying to bring our attention to shockingly ignored subjects.

14

DW Documentary

Pietro Jenkins
Pietro Jenkins
4 days ago
Wealthy or poor , we all get 24hrs in a day alike.What you do with your 24hrs makes all the difference .

131


Christopher Dixon
Christopher Dixon
2 days ago
Another important documentary by DW Documentary

51

DW Documentary

Ben Mike
Ben Mike
2 days ago
I would be happy to just be a middle class person with financial security

4


blackpassenger
blackpassenger
2 days ago
excellent piece. As a black person who's spent a great deal of time in the US, its interesting to see gentrification affect white people. One thing I learned very early in life: Life is unfair.