For bucks' sake: the rise of self-made billionaires

富人财富大洗牌

The Intelligence from The Economist

2026-07-23

25 分钟
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Many people, including politicians, love to hate the super-rich, and assume they have gamed the system. Yet our correspondent reports that a growing share of today's wealthiest earned their money providing goods and services we all want. A new crackdown on scam compounds in Cambodia. And lessons from the ultimate political animal, Downing Street's Larry the Cat.  Watch “The Insider” interview with Elon Musk from 6pm BST, 1pm EST.  Listen to our podcast series “Scam Inc”.  Guests and host: Callum Williams, senior economics writerSue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondentChris Impey, co-editor of “The Intelligence”Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Billionaires, Elon Musk, Lionel Messi, Taylor SwiftScams, scam compounds, CambodiaLarry the Cat, Andy Burnham, Downing Street Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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  • The Economist.

  • Hello and welcome to The Intelligence from The Economist.

  • I'm Rosie Blau.

  • Today on the show, a new crackdown on scam compounds in Cambodia,

  • and lessons for Britain's Prime Minister from Larry the Cat.

  • First up, though.

  • Billionaires have never exactly been popular.

  • Today, they're positively loathed.

  • The American people are standing in opposition to oligarchy.

  • Do you think that billionaires have a right to exist?

  • I don't think that we should have billionaires

  • because frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality.

  • We need a tax system that truly accounts for the fact

  • that there are people who have amassed huge wealth.

  • And not just by us ordinary folk, but many politicians too.

  • Some talk about their mere existence as a policy failure.

  • But just as the political class thinks it's hit on a winning message, something unexpected is happening.

  • Billionaires are becoming more legitimate.

  • There is clearly a very big surge in anti-billionaire sentiment.

  • Callum Williams is our senior economics writer.