Wealtherty is the state or condition of prosperity in abundance of possessions or riches, plus concomitant political power and influence, and resultant risks to the democratic process. This articulation assumes that the social (of social policy) is made up of richer and poorer people. It assumes that there is such a thing as morally and politically unjustifiable surplus wealth and that this wealth bleeds into socially damaging political influence. It assumes that the existence of surplus wealth in conditions of urgent unmet needs is intolerable. It assumes a set of restricted capabilities (such as media and political influence) that are usually only accessible to those with money and influence, and which, in their operation, can cause harm to others. Finally, transposing theories of privilege from race, wealtherty exists when this dynamic is self-sustaining and has made itself invisible – a form of wealth privilege, which makes it unlikely that beneficiaries of the system will be motivated to enact change. –Wealth, Poverty and Enduring Inequality: Let’s Talk Wealtherty by Sarah Kerr (Policy Press, 2024)

Poverty is no longer a helpful concept — it has outlived its usefulness. Our problem now is not the poor; it is the rich. Instead of looking down, we need to look up. We need to focus on the lived experience of the rich who cause harm and listen to what they have to say about why they do it. If we truly care about inequality and about poverty, we should have our eyes firmly focused on the rich — we should focus on the carriers of the disease, not the symptoms.