Alexander Wells

When the US targeted Russia’s oligarchs after the invasion of Ukraine, the trail of assets kept leading to our own backyard. Not only had our nation become a haven for shady foreign money, but we were also incubating a familiar class of yacht-owning, industry-dominating, resource-extracting billionaires. In the January February 2024 issue of our magazine, we investigate the rise of American Oligarchy—and what it means for the rest of us. You can read all the pieces here.

Since 2010, some 242 of the world’s wealthiest people and couples from 29 countries have committed to giving away at least half of their vast fortunes. The Giving Pledge starts with a simple premise: Collective giving, in the words of co-founder Bill Gates, can “help the world become a better place.” It has certainly helped better the lot of longtime pledgers, most of whom are as rich or richer today, even after adjusting for inflation, then they were when they........

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