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Corona pandemic: the gap between rich and poor is widening

Corona pandemic The gap between rich and poor is widening

The gap between rich and poor continues to grow. 87 percent of economists assume that the pandemic will lead to higher income inequality. In developing and emerging countries in particular, dramatic consequences are expected. But in Austria and Germany, too, the great wave of debt could still be imminent. But that does not apply to everyone: the financial recovery of the 1.000 richest billionaires was only nine months away after the outbreak of the pandemic. By contrast, it could take up to ten years for the world's poorest people to reach the pre-corona level. We remind you: The last global economic crisis - triggered by bad real estate loans - lasted around a decade from 2008. And remained without real consequences.

Wealth increases

Some key data on the gap between rich and poor: The ten richest Germans were loud Oxfam owned approximately $ 2019 billion in February 179,3. In December last year, however, it was $ 242 billion. And this at a time when numerous people were suffering hardship in the face of the pandemic.

1: Assets of the 10 richest Germans, in billion US dollars, Oxfam
2: Number of people who have less than $ 1,90 / day, World Bank

Hunger and poverty are rising again

The tragic extent of the pandemic is particularly evident in the 23 countries of the global south. Here, 40 percent of citizens say that they have been eating less and more one-sidedly since the outbreak of the pandemic. The number of those who - worldwide, mind you - have less than 1,90 US dollars a day at their disposal rose from 645 to 733 million. In previous years, the number decreased steadily year after year, but the Corona crisis set a trend reversal in motion.

Speculators as profiteers

While numerous entrepreneurs from the catering, retail trade & Co. currently have to fear for their livelihoods, things are completely different on the trading floor. Within the last 12 months there has been a real price rally for various investments. The pandemic seems to be playing into the cards for investors financially. On the one hand. On the other hand, it was lucrative to invest in securities even before the crisis. Between 2011 and 2017, wages in the top seven industrialized countries rose by an average of three percent, while dividends rose by an average of 31 percent.

System must be fair

Among other things, Oxfam is calling for a system in which the economy serves society, companies operate in a public interest-oriented manner, tax policy is fair and the market power of individual corporations is limited.

Amnesty World Report confirms widening gap between rich and poor

Polarizing political strategies, misguided austerity measures and a lack of investment in people's health and well-being have resulted in far too many people worldwide suffering disproportionately from the effects of COVID-19. This also shows the Amnesty International Report 2020/21 on the human rights situation cost worldwide. Here is the report for Austria.

“Our world is completely out of joint: COVID-19 has brutally exposed and exacerbated existing inequality both within and between countries. Instead of offering protection and support, decision-makers around the world have instrumentalized the pandemic. And wreaked havoc on people and their rights, "says Agnès Callamard, the new international secretary general of Amnesty International, on the gap between rich and poor and calls for the crisis to be used as a restart for broken systems:" We are at a crossroads . We have to start over and build a world based on equality, human rights and humanity. We need to learn from the pandemic and work together in bold and creative ways to create equal opportunities for all. "

Instrumentalizing the pandemic to undermine human rights

Amnesty's annual report also paints a ruthless picture of the gap between rich and poor and of how leaders around the world are tackling the pandemic - often characterized by opportunism and disregard for human rights.

A common pattern has been the passage of laws criminalizing pandemic-related reporting. In Hungary, for example, under the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the country's criminal code was amended and new provisions on the dissemination of misinformation applicable during a state of emergency were introduced. The opaque text of the law provides for prison sentences of up to five years. This threatens the work of journalists and others reporting on COVID-19 and could lead to further self-censorship.

In the Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the authorities used the corona pandemic as an excuse to continue to restrict the right to freedom of expression. For example, people who commented on government action against the pandemic on social media have been accused of spreading "false news" and prosecuted.

Other heads of government relied on the disproportionate use of force to enforce the gap between rich and poor. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said he had ordered the police to "shoot" anyone who demonstrates or "causes unrest" during the quarantine. In Nigeria, brutal police tactics have killed people simply for demonstrating on the streets for rights and accountability. Police violence in Brazil escalated during the corona pandemic under President Bolsonaro. Between January and June 2020, police across the country killed at least 3.181 people - an average of 17 kills a day.

Amnesty International is campaigning for a fair global distribution of vaccines with the global campaign “A fair dose”.

Photo / Video: Shutterstock.

Written by Helmut Melzer

As a long-time journalist, I asked myself what would actually make sense from a journalistic point of view. You can see my answer here: Option. Showing alternatives in an idealistic way - for positive developments in our society.
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