It seems that inequality is greater now than it has been since the 1920s. There is a New Guilded Age of the rich in ever bigger mansions and the poor looking in through the gates.
Inequality between countries is increasing because of globalisation and so is inequality within countries.
In this BBC World Service series, Stephen Evans reports on how the true situation is much more complex.
What does money mean to the super rich, and how has this inequality affected the rest of the world?
Part One - Globalisation and the Super Rich
There are nearly 1,000 billionaires in the world, while millions live on less than a dollar a day.
Stephen Evans talks to people at the very top of the pile, and those at the bottom, to discover how inequality affects them.
Globalisation, defined as international capitalism, is often blamed for widening the gap between rich and poor.
Some say it has helped many people escape poverty.
In part one Stephen explores the impact of globalisation, assessing its effect on the gap between rich and poor in the world's fast-growing economies.
