It will not come as a surprise to Socialists that the rich have done very nicely out of the pandemic while the conditions of the poor have deteriorated. It is nice to have the facts confirmed by Oxfam.
The report "The Inequality Virus" states
"The coronavirus pandemic has the potential to lead to an increase in inequality in almost every country at once, the first time this has happened since records began. The virus has exposed, fed off and increased existing inequalities of wealth, gender and race. Over two million people have died, and hundreds of millions of people are being forced into poverty while many of the richest – individuals and corporations – are thriving. Billionaire fortunes returned to their pre-pandemic highs in just nine months, while recovery for the world’s poorest people could take over a decade."
The report contrasts the poverty experienced by many front-line workers combatting the pandemic with the way the rich avoided feeling the pinch. It highlights with facts and figures the unequal consequences for the rich and the poor.
The world's 10 richest men have seen their combined wealth increase by
half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began — more than enough to
pay for a COVID-19 vaccine for everyone and to ensure no-one is pushed
into poverty by the pandemic.
Misogyny and racism are not separate issues of inequality, they are organically linked to the rule of capital.
https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/inequality-virus for the full text.
Capitalism is a virus. Socialism is a vaccine.
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