[zo1]

It's a whole lot more easier to "vilify" the rich when you don't personally know them, or haven't spoken with them on a non-trivial level. For all we know, there are people much lower down on the scale than the "0.1%" that are impacting politics on levels/scales we won't ever know of. Generals, drug-bosses, influential figures, nefarious individuals that wield power through back-room dealings, etc.

In fact, there are probably legitimately influential people that wield more power than those much richer to them. One need only look at political "movements" to see that they're not always run by the rich and powerful. But rather, by those that can get large amounts of individual/normal people to agree with them and follow through. The oratorical figures, I'd say.