[gottorf]

The "net worth" of the mega-rich, at least in the US, is basically just the number of shares they hold in whatever company they founded multiplied by the price per share at any given moment. It's completely fake and has nothing to do with "economic growth". If you want to point fingers, blame the Fed for setting the stage for an epic asset inflation.

[anigbrowl]

Are shares assets that can be used as security in economic transactions? They sure are. Does that give such owners of shares massive economic leverage? It sure does. Do people without such assets find themselves worse off in economic transactions? Of course. I think you understand those things quite well.