Staff Reports
A recent piece of news has incorrectly labeled Elon Musk as the “richest man in the world,” igniting a wave of commentary from the internet’s armchair economists and politically motivated commentators. In reality, Musk’s wealth—currently pegged at around $354.9 billion—pales in comparison to the true oligarchs of this world who hold the reins of power, not to mention all the assets, land, and resources that go along with it.
Take, for instance, Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian dictator who’s rumored to be worth several billion, despite pilfering his nation to the bone and fleeing the chaos he created. While the anti-Assad rebels were busy raiding his stash, they uncovered a mediocre collection of vehicles that wouldn’t even pass as impressive on a “worst car show” list. It’s laughable to think that in a country torn to shreds for over a decade, a dictator could still amass wealth through sheer authoritarian control. But that’s the beauty of dictatorships: whoever’s wearing the crown gets to play “robbing Peter to pay Paul” with the rest of the citizens’ lives and belongings.
While the media hails Musk for his ventures in aerospace, electric vehicles, and more, they seem blissfully unaware of the extent to which global tyrants—from Kim Jong Un to Vladimir Putin—have amassed wealth beyond what any real capitalist meritocracy could offer. In fact, Kim Jong Un could casually swipe Musk’s entire fortune while hauling in gold bricks from his throne room. After all, he controls North Korea’s entire economic structure. Now, that’s a “wealth creator” worthy of a snazzy title.
And while we’re at it, what about Vladimir Putin? This is a guy who “owns” the largest country on earth and has exclusive rights to untold natural resources, the value of which could easily be quantified in the tens or hundreds of trillions of dollars. Talk about a game of Monopoly gone rogue! Who needs SpaceX or neuroscientific innovations when you can just seize the land and resources of an entire nation?
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In a comparison of wealth, the article highlights that dictators like Bashar Al-Assad, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping possess far greater riches than figures like Elon Musk. While Musk's influence stems from innovation, the true wealth of…— The America One News (@am1_news) December 9, 2024
Not to be overshadowed, Xi Jinping of China also has legitimate claim to worldwide heavy-hitters. With a GDP of around $37 trillion, Xi’s wealth and influence could dwarf Musk’s by any rational comparison. Contemplating the Saudi royal family’s accumulated fortunes tied to oil reserves brings even more clarity to Musk’s monetary ranking. Their wealth, nourished by a sprawling ocean of black gold, is simply incomprehensible compared to any one individual’s assets in tech or innovation.
Elon Musk’s real influence isn’t derived from mere dollars and cents, but rather his visionary approach that has catalyzed major advancements in critical industries. He isn’t just a tech billionaire; he’s a catalyst for change in areas like automotive innovation, space exploration, and even the political landscape. While envy may be the prevailing emotion inspiring the media’s depiction of him, the throne of the true “richest man” is far from the high seat he occupies. So before anyone tries to set him up on a pedestal, they should first take a look at the empire builders ruling from their palatial kingdoms worldwide.
