The richest 1% of the world's population now holds more wealth than the bottom 50% combined. This is not simply an economic observation - it is a structural condition with profound social and political consequences. When wealth concentrates, power concentrates with it. Political systems ostensibly designed to represent all citizens are increasingly shaped by the preferences of those who can afford to fund campaigns, lobbying, and media. The meritocracy narrative - the belief that success is earned and poverty is a personal failure - serves to legitimise this arrangement. Not only does it obscure structural barriers, but it actively discourages systemic reform. The real question is not whether inequality is a problem. It is whether those with power to change it have any incentive to do so.
💡 Did you know? In 2023, the world's 10 wealthiest individuals earned enough in one day to eliminate global extreme poverty for a year - but did not.
Topic: Wealth Inequality
Key words
Vocabulary
01
wealth inequality
the unequal distribution of assets among a population
02
redistribution
the transfer of income or wealth from some groups to others
03
intergenerational
relating to or affecting several generations
04
meritocracy
a system in which advancement depends on ability and effort
05
capital
wealth in the form of money or assets used to generate more wealth
06
Gini coefficient
a statistical measure of income or wealth distribution
07
philanthropy
private charitable giving to benefit society
08
wealth tax
a tax levied on the total value of personal assets
09
structural
relating to the fundamental organisation or arrangement of something
010
upward mobility
the ability to move to a higher social or economic class
Match the Words
Click a word on the left, then click its definition on the right.
wealth inequality
redistribution
intergenerational
meritocracy
capital
Gini coefficient
philanthropy
wealth tax
structural
upward mobility
a tax levied on the total value of personal assets
a system in which advancement depends on ability and effort
relating to or affecting several generations
relating to the fundamental organisation or arrangement of something
a statistical measure of income or wealth distribution
private charitable giving to benefit society
the ability to move to a higher social or economic class
wealth in the form of money or assets used to generate more wealth
the unequal distribution of assets among a population
the transfer of income or wealth from some groups to others
Say it right
Pronunciation
wealth inequality
WEALTH inequality
redistribution
REDI-stri-bution
intergenerational
INTER-gener-ational
meritocracy
MER-ito-cracy
capital
CAP-ital
Gini coefficient
GINI coefficient
Read & Discuss
Short Dialogue
A:
I've been thinking a lot about wealth inequality recently.
B:
Really? What's your take on it?
A:
I think the issue of redistribution is often misunderstood.
B:
I agree. Most people don't consider the impact of intergenerational.
A:
Exactly. And when you add meritocracy into the mix, it gets complicated.
B:
So what do you think the solution is?
A:
Honestly? It requires both individual action and systemic change.
B:
That's a fair point. It's never just one or the other.
Comprehension
What topic are they discussing?
What does person B agree with?
What does person A say the solution requires?
Practice
Exercises
Gap Fill
Complete each sentence using vocabulary from today's lesson.
1. has increased significantly since the 1980s.
2. Progressive taxation is a mechanism for .
3. Wealth inequality is increasingly .
4. Is a reality or a myth in most societies?
5. Those who own tend to grow wealthier faster than wage earners.
Error Correction
Find and correct the mistake in each sentence.
The wealth inequality of data has raise serious concerns.
Despite of the challenges, they succeeded.
The report, that was published last year, is relevant.
She suggested to review the meritocracy more carefully.
Speaking practice
Speaking Prompts
Discuss with your partner
Do you believe the society you live in is a genuine meritocracy? What is your evidence?
Should extreme wealth be taxed more heavily? What are the strongest arguments on both sides?
Is philanthropy a substitute for systemic change, or a complement to it?
Summarise today's topic in 3 sentences using vocabulary from this lesson.
Grammar focus: Inversion for emphasis and formality: 'Not only has inequality increased, but it... — can you give an example?
Open discussion
Discussion Generator
More Questions
Use with pairs or whole class · Encourage full answers
Write a 250-word argument: Is wealth inequality primarily a structural problem or a result of individual choices? Use inversion for at least two sentences to add rhetorical force.
