EntranceMillionaires of the 20th century. The richest people in history
Hello! Today we will talk about the richest people in the world according to Forbes.
TOP 10 richest people in the world 2017 according to Forbes
1. Bill Gates is the richest man in the world
- Net worth: 86 billion
- Source of earnings: Microsoft
- Age: 61
- Country: USA
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has a 3% stake in his company, which is approximately 13% of his wealth. He earns the rest of the money: investments in the Canadian National Railway, an American engineering company, etc. The richest man in the world.
Tops the Forbes list 18 times out of 23. Bill Gates earns $6,659 per minute.
- Net worth: 75.6 billion
- Source of earnings: Berkshire Hathaway
- Age: 87
- Country: USA
The richest private investor in the history of mankind. The main capital is concentrated in Berkshire Hathaway. The largest philanthropist in modern history.
Every year the right to have breakfast with him is auctioned off. The last time such a right cost the buyer $3 million.
The founder of the Facebook network and also the youngest of the billionaires included in the top 10 of the Forbes list.
- Net worth: 54.4 billion
- Source of income: Grupo Carso
- Age: 78
- Country: Mexico
A businessman who is actively involved in telecommunications. From 2010 to 2013 he was the richest person in the world.
- Net worth: 52.2 billion
- Source of earnings: Oracle
- Age: 73
- Country: USA
A businessman who made his fortune by developing and implementing software. Before the dot-com crash in 2000, he was one of the three richest people on the planet.
- Net worth: 48.3 billion
- Age: 82
- Country: USA
Known as an active politician and sponsor of the US Republican Party. In 2012, he invested 400 million to oppose the election of Barack Obama.
- Net worth: 48.3 billion
- Source of income: Koch Industries
- Age: 77
- Country: USA
Unlike his brother, he is less interested in politics and is busy with company affairs. Reinvests about $110 billion a year in its own business.
- Net worth: 47.5 billion
- Source of earnings: Bloomberg.LP
- Age: 76
- Country: USA
108th mayor of New York, entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Bloomberg news agency. Rounding out the top 10 richest people in the world.
20 richest people in the world according to Forbes
- Net worth: 41.5 billion
- Source of income: Louis Vuitton
- Age: 68
- Country: USA
In 2011-2012 he was among the four richest people on the planet.
- Net worth: 40.7 billion
- Source of earnings: Google
- Age: 44
- Country: USA
Chief Executive Officer of Google.
- Condition: 39.8
- Source of earnings: Google
- Age: 44
- Country: USA
Developer and co-founder of Google.
- Net worth: 39.5 billion
- Source of income: L’Oreal
- Age: 95
- Country: France
The richest woman in the world.
15. Robson Walton
- Net worth: 34.1 billion
- Source of income: Wal-Mart
- Age: 73
- Country: USA
Head of WalMart Corporation.
- Net worth: 34 billion
- Source of income: Arvest
- Age: 69
- Country: USA
Youngest son of the Walton family, chairman of Arvest Bank. Has a stake in Wal-Mart.
Owner of a network of the largest casinos in Las Vegas. Rounding out the top 20 richest people in the world at the moment.
List of TOP 100 richest people in the World in 2018
21. Steve Ballmer
- Net worth: 30 billion
- Source of earnings: Microsoft
- Age: 61
- Country: USA
From 2000 to 2014, he was CEO of Microsoft Corporation. The richest employee in the world.
22. Jorge Lemman
- Net worth: 29.2 billion
- Source of income: Beer business
- Age: 78
- Country: Brazil
The richest Brazilian in the world.
23. Jack Ma
- Net worth: 28.3 billion
- Source of earnings: E-commerce
- Age: 53
- Country: China
Chairman of the Board of Management of Alibaba Group.
24. Karl Albrecht
- Net worth: 27.2 billion
- Age: 85
- Country: Germany
Owns the largest supermarket chain in Germany.
25. David Thomson
- Net worth: 27.2 billion
- Source of income: Media
- Age: 60
- Country: Canada
Everyone still considers him the dark horse of all billionaires. The most secretive of all the representatives of the top 100.
26. Jacqueline Mars
- Net worth: 27 billion
- Source of income: Mars
- Age: 78
- Country: USA
Granddaughter of the founder of the confectionery corporation Mars Incorporated.
27. John Mars
- Net worth: 27 billion
- Source of income: Mars
- Age: 82
- Country: USA
Chairman of Mars Incorporated.
28. Phil Knight
- Net worth: 26.2 billion
- Source of income: Nike
- Age: 79
- Country: USA
One of the founders of Nike.
29. Maria Franco Fissolo
- Net worth: 25.2 billion
- Source of income: Nutella
- Age: 83
- Country: Italy
The richest of all the inhabitants of Italy.
30. George Soros
- Net worth: 25.2 billion
- Age: 87
- Country: USA
The man who with his own hands provoked the fall of the British pound on September 16, 1992. He earned more than 1 billion from this event.
31. Ma Huateng
- Net worth: 24.9 billion
- Source of earnings: Internet Media
- Age: 46
- Country: China
In the list of the most influential people in the world, he is firmly in the top 50.
32. Lee Shawqi
- Net worth: 24.4 billion
- Source of income: Henderson Land Development Company Limited
- Age: 90
- Country: Hong Kong
Chairman of the Hong Kong Gas Company.
33. Mukesh Ambani
- Net worth: 23.2 billion
- Source of earnings: Reliance Industries
- Age: 60
- Country: India
For the past 3 years he has been suing his brother over the price of gas delivery.
34. Masayoshi Son
- Net worth: 21.2 billion
- Source of earnings: Soft Bank
- Age: 60
- Country: Japan
He made his fortune by introducing Internet technologies into business.
35. Kirk Christiansen
- Net worth: 21.1 billion
- Source of income: Lego
- Age: 70
- Country: Denmark
Founder of the Lego company.
36. George Schaffler
- Net worth: 20.7 billion
- Source of income: Schaeffler Group
- Age: 53
- Country: Germany
Made his fortune in bearings.
37. Joseph Safra
- Net worth: 20.5 billion
- Source of income: Safra Group
- Age: 79
- Country: Brazil
Owner of a banking empire.
- Net worth: 20.4 billion
- Source of income: Dell computers
- Age: 52
- Country: USA
He started working at home, selling homemade modifications to computers.
39. Susan Klatten
- Net worth: 20.4 billion
- Age: 55
- Country: Germany
Owns 50% of shares in the pharmaceutical company Altana and 12% in BMW.
40. Leonid Blavatnik
- Net worth: 20 billion
- Source of income: Access Industries
- Age: 60
- Country: USA
Member of the Presidium of the Russian Jewish Congress.
41. Lauren Jobs
- Net worth: 20 billion
- Source of income: Apple, Disney
- Age: 54
- Country: USA
Founder of a company supplying natural products in the USA. Steve Jbos's wife.
42. Paul Allen
- Net worth: 19.9 billion
- Source of income: Microsoft and private investments
- Age: 65
- Country: USA
Co-founder of Microsoft.
43. Stefan Perrson
- Net worth: 19.6 billion
- Source of income: H&M
- Age: 70
- Country: Sweden
The largest shareholder of H&M, created by his father.
44. Theo Albrecht
- Net worth: 18.8 billion
- Source of income: Supermarkets
- Age: 67
- Country: Germany
Co-founder of a large supermarket chain in Germany, together with his brother Karl.
45. Al-Walid ibn Talal
- Condition: 18.7
- Source of income: Investments
- Age: 62
- Country: Saudi Arabia.
Nephew of the current king. Made a fortune buying shares.
46. Leonid Mikhelson
- Net worth: 18.4 billion
- Source of income: Novatek
- Age: 62
- Country Russia
The richest Russian according to Forbes magazine.
47. Charles Ergen
- Condition: 18.3
- Source of income: EchoStar
- Age: 64
- Country: USA
Made a fortune in satellite TV.
48. Stefan Quandt
- Net worth: 18.3 billion
- Source of income: BMW
- Age: 51
- Country: Germany
It is he who owns most of the stake in BMW.
49. James Simons
- Net worth: 18 billion
- Source of income: Investments
- Age: 79
- Country: USA
American mathematician and candidate of the Academy of Sciences. Made a fortune from trading.
50. Leonardo Del Vecchio
- Net worth: 17.9 billion
- Source of income: Luxottica
- Age: 82
- Country: Italy
His company develops and supplies glasses, contact lenses and frames.
51.Alexey Mordashov
- Condition: 17.5
- Source of income: Severstal
- Age:52
- Country Russia
One of the most recognizable and quoted businessmen in Russia and abroad.
52. William Ding
- Net worth: 17.3 billion
- Source of earnings: NetEase
- Age: 46
- Country: China
The richest person in the global gaming industry.
53. Dieter Schwarz
- Net worth: 17 billion
- Source of income: Chairman
- Age: 78
- Country: Germany
Dieter actively supports projects in the field of children's education and science.
54. Ray Dalio
- Net worth: 16.8 billion
- Source of income: Bridgewater Associates
- Age: 68
- Country: USA
Another brilliant investor. At the age of 12, he bought shares of Northeast Airlines for $300, and a few years later his investment tripled.
55. Carl Icahn
- Net worth: 16.6 billion
- Source of income: Investments
- Age: 81
- Country: USA
He started his career as an ordinary stockbroker. Later he became one of the most sought-after financiers in America.
56. Lakshmi Mittal
- Net worth: 16.4 billion
- Source of income: Mittal Steel Company N.V.
- Age: 67
- Country: India
In 2008, he was one of the 4 richest people in the world. Conducts business in the CIS.
57. Vladimir Lisin
- Net worth: 16.1 billion
- Source of income: Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works
- Age: 61
- Country Russia
In 2011 he was recognized as the richest Russian businessman.
58. Serge Dassault
- Net worth: 16.1 billion
- Source of income: Groupe Dassault
- Age: 92
- Country: France
Mayor of Corbeil-Esonne, a southern suburb of Paris
59. Gennady Timchenko
- Net worth: 16 billion
- Source of income: Volga Group
- Age: 65
- Country Russia
Specializes in investments in energy and transport infrastructure.
60. Wai Wei
- Net worth: 15.9 billion
- Source of income: investing
- Age: 48
- Country: China
I started earning money as an ordinary taxi driver.
61. Tadashi Yanai
- Net worth: 15.9 billion
- Source of income: Uniclo
- Age: 68
- Country: Japan
Owner of Japan's largest casual clothing chain.
62. Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi
- Net worth: 15.8 billion
- Source of income: TCC Land
- Age: 73
- Country: Thailand
The beer produced by Charoen's company has become a national symbol.
63. Francois Pinault
- Net worth: 15.7 billion
- Source of income: investments
- Age: 81
- Country: France
One of the richest collectors in the world. His collection is located in the Venetian palace Palazzo Grassi.
64. Hinduja family
- Net worth: 15 billion
- Source of earnings: Hinduja Group
- Country: England
The Hinduja company is engaged in the production of automobiles, military equipment and explosives.
65. David and Sama Ruben
- Net worth: 15.3 billion
- Source of income: investments
- Age: 75
- Country: England
In 2007, the brothers were on the 8th line of the Forbes list.
66. Donald Bren
- Net worth: 15.2 billion
- Source of income: Irvine Company
- Age: 85
- Country: USA
He made his money in the construction business.
67.Alisher Usmanov
- Net worth: 15.2 billion
- Source of earnings: USM Holdings
- Age: 64
- Country Russia
From 2013 to 2015 he headed the list of the richest people in Russia.
68. Lee Gong Hee
- Net worth: 15.1 billion
- Source of earnings: Samsung
- Age: 76
- Country: South Korea
Chairman of the Samsung concern.
69. Thomas and Raymond Kwok
- Net worth: 15 billion
- Source of income: Hong Kong's Sun Hung Kai
- Country: Hong Kong
The most recognizable Hong Kong businessmen.
70. Joseph Lau
- Net worth: 15 billion
- Source of income: Chinese Estates Holdings
- Age: 66
- Country: Hong Kong
The largest shareholder of a real estate holding in Hong Kong.
71. Gina Rinehart
- Net worth: 15 billion
- Source of income: Hancock Prospecting
- Age: 63
- Country: Australia
The richest man in Australia.
72. Azim Premji
- Net worth: 14.9 billion
- Source of earnings: Wipro Limited
- Age: 72
- Country: India
Engaged in software development in India. He is often called the second Bill Gates.
73. Marcel Hermann Telles
- Net worth: 14.8 billion
- Source of earnings: InBev
- Age: 68
- Country: Brazil
Owner of the largest beer company in the world.
74. Vagit Alekperov
- Net worth: 14.5 billion
- Source of income: Lukoil
- Age: 67
- Country Russia
He remains consistently in the top 10 Russian businessmen according to Forbes.
75. Mikhail Fridman
- Net worth: 14.4 billion
- Source of income: Alfa Group
- Age: 53
- Country Russia
Owner of Alfa-Bank.
76. Abigail Johnson
- Condition: 14.4
- Source of earnings: Fidelity Investments
- Age: 56
- Country: USA
Engaged in investing and distributing funds to various companies.
77. Pallonji Mistry
- Net worth: 14.3 billion
- Source of earnings: Tata Sons
- Age: 88
- Country: India
Lives in Ireland and is the richest person in this country. A person closed to the press.
78. Vladimir Potanin
- Net worth: 14.3 billion
- Source of income: Norilsk Nickel
- Age: 57
- Country Russia
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State Hermitage.
79. Wang Wenying
- Net worth: 14 billion
- Source of income: Amer International Group's
- Age: 50
- Country: China
Back in 2015, he was in 125th place on the Forbes list. He is engaged in the mining business.
80. Elon Musk
- Net worth: 13.9 billion
- Source of income: Tesla Motors
- Age: 46
- Country: USA
Founder of PayPal, developer of electric vehicles Tesla Motors, chief engineer of SpaceX.
81. Stefano Pessina
- Net worth: 13.9 billion
- Source of earnings: Alliance Boots plc
- Age: 76
- Country: Italy
Owner of a family pharmaceutical company.
82. German Larrea Mota-Velasco
- Net worth: 13.8 billion
- Source of income: Grupo Mexico
- Age: 64
- Country: Mexico
German Larrea's company is the third largest in the world in terms of copper production per year.
83. Thomas Peterffy
- Net worth: 13.8 billion
- Source of earnings: Interactive Brokers
- Age: 73
- Country: USA
Played a key role in the creation of the Boston Otions Exchange.
84. Iris Fontbon
- Net worth: 13.7 billion
- Source of income: Quinenco
- Age: 75
- Country: Chile
The widow of Chilean billionaire Andronico Lexica, who died of cancer.
85. Dilip Changvi
- Net worth: 13.7 billion
- Source of income: SPIL
- Age: 62
- Country: India
Dilip's company is the fifth largest drug manufacturer in India.
86. Dietrich Mateschitz
- Net worth: 13.4 billion
- Source of earnings: Red Bull GmbH
- Age: 73
- Country: Austria
Half owned by Red Bull.
87. Harold Hamm
- Net worth: 13.3 billion
- Source of income: Harold Hamm Truck Service,
- Age: 72
- Country: USA
Owns oil producing companies in America.
88. Robin Lee
- Net worth: 13.3 billion
- Source of earnings: Baidu
- Age: 49
- Country: China
Owns the Chinese search engine Baidu.
89. Andrey Melnichenko
- Net worth: 13.2 billion
- Source of income: Siberian Coal Energy Company
- Age: 45
- Country Russia
Owner of the largest mineral fertilizer network in Russia.
90. Rupert Murdoch
- Net worth: 13.1 billion
- Source of earnings: 21st Century Fox.
- Age: 86
- Country: USA
The largest owner of film companies in the world.
91. Heinz Hermann Thiele
- Net worth: 13.1 billion
- Source of income: Knorr-Bremse AG
- Age: 76
- Country: Germany
Active philanthropist. He was awarded for his support of childhood cancer research and assistance to developing countries.
92. Stephen Cohen
- Net worth: 13 billion
- Source of earnings: Trading on the stock exchange
- Age: 61
- Country: USA
In America they call him the Supernatural Trader.
93. Patrick Drai
- Net worth: 13 billion
- Source of income: Altice
- Age: 54
- Country: France
Founder of the French news channel i24News.
94. Henry See
- Net worth: 12.77 billion
- Source of earnings: SM Prime Holdings
- Age: 93
- Country: Philippines
Considered one of the most visionary entrepreneurs in the world.
95. Charlene Heineken
- Net worth: 12.6 billion
- Source of income: Heineken
- Age: 63
- Country: Netherlands
Owner of a controlling stake in Heineken. Included in the list of “Tomorrow of your country”.
96. Philip Anschutz
- Net worth: 12.5 billion
- Source of income: investments
- Age: 78
- Country: USA
Manages enterprises operating in various fields of industrial activity.
97. Ronald Perelman
- Net worth: 12.5 billion
- Source of income: Salomon Brothers
- Age: 91
- Country: USA
Known as the "Corporate Snatcher".
98. Hans Rausing
- Net worth: 12.5 billion
- Source of income: Tetra Lavar Groupp
- Age: 75
- Country: Sweden
He sold a share of his company to his brother for $7 billion.
99. Carlos Alberto Sicupira
- Net worth: 12.5 billion
- Source of earnings: AmBev
- Age: 70
- Country: Brazil
Bachelor in Scientific Research.
100. Viktor Vekselberg
- Status: 12.4
- Source of income: Renova
- Age: 60
- Country Russia
He is at the bottom of the 100 richest people in the world according to Forbes magazine.
Half of the world's super-rich people now live in the United States. However, in terms of the number of billionaires per capita, the United States is traditionally inferior to Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore. In US history, there have been times both favorable and unfavorable for the emergence of millionaires. Bradford DeLong, a professor of economics at the University of California, believes that there were periods in US history in which acquiring a million-dollar fortune was almost impossible. This was the case, for example, before 1870 and from 1929 to the 1980s. At other times (between 1870 and 1927, as well as in the last two decades), the American economy provided opportunities for relatively quick enrichment.
According to De Long's calculations, in 1900, 45% of the national wealth was concentrated in the hands of 1% of the US population. This is the highest level of capital concentration in US history. After this, this share began to decrease, primarily due to the creation of a more advanced tax system, social insurance system, state policy in the field of wages, etc.
In 1900, there were 22 billionaires in the United States. Nine billion fortunes were made from the construction of railways. Three fortunes were inherited. Five were made based on financial transactions. Other gold mines of the time were retail trade, real estate, forestry, steel, and urban transportation. This was the era of classic “wild capitalism”, when the rules of the game were determined by the participants themselves, and all possible methods were used in competition, including criminal ones.
By the mid-1920s, there were slightly more billionaires in the United States—about 30. The steel, oil, mining, food, chemical, finance, railroad, etc. industries brought in money. 6% of billion-dollar fortunes were acquired through the development of fundamentally new industries - photography and automobile manufacturing. The American economy at that time could in many ways be considered oligarchic. The influence of billionaires on the state of the economy has been enormous. They were able, through municipal and state authorities, to attack not only real, but also potential competitors. The situation changed after an unprecedented economic collapse - the Great Depression, which broke out in 1929. US public opinion quickly named three “B”s responsible for what happened - Bankers, Brokers, Businessmen. By the time the crisis began, 1% of Americans had ultra-high incomes, 42% had ultra-low incomes. In 1929, approximately 100 large corporations controlled half of America's corporate finances. The depression led to the state establishing stricter and fairer rules for doing business and reforming the financial market. As a result, the crisis was overcome, and the number of billionaires in the United States decreased significantly.
In 1957, only 16 Americans were worth billions. A third of the fortunes came from aluminum production, a fifth from oil. A quarter was inherited. Since the 1980s, the number of billionaires in the United States has been rapidly increasing. In 1982, there were 23 of them, in 1989 - already 132. In 1996, there were 196 billionaires living in the United States (three of them worked for Microsoft). It is curious that for the first time in US history, a third of billion-dollar fortunes were inherited. The number of economic sectors in which billionaires operated has increased significantly. For the first time in practice, it was proven that big money can be made in the media market, electronics, pharmaceuticals, entertainment, cosmetics, insurance, etc.
The unprecedented stock market boom of the past decade led to an increase in the number of billionaires in the late 1990s and a decrease in the 2000s. For example, according to Forbes magazine, in 2001 there were 538 billionaires in the world. In 2002, their number decreased to 497, in 2003 - to 476. The average wealth of a billionaire decreased from $3.2 billion to $3.1 billion. The wealth of the world's super rich people decreased by $1.54 trillion. in 2002 to $1.4 trillion. in 2003. However, this capital exceeds the gross domestic product of all countries of the Middle East and North Africa combined and the income of about half of humanity. If in the mid-1990s American billionaires made up about a third of the total, then in 2003 they occupied almost half of the ranking lines (222 out of 476). Among the 11 richest people in the world, whose wealth exceeds $20 billion, there are only two non-Americans. In the 2003 ranking, Europe is represented by 134 billionaires, and Russia – 17 (9 in 2002).
Oligarchs of America
There have been many millionaires in US history. But only a few of them became legendary figures, whose lives still attract historians and writers. It is curious that most of America's legendary super-rich began their rise to wealth and fame from the very bottom. Some of them (for example, Astor and Soros) were born and raised in Europe, others (for example, Carnegie and Getty) lived a significant part of their lives outside the United States.
Most of America's legendary millionaires are extremely controversial figures. They were both honest and dishonest people, boundless generosity did not prevent them from periodically showing pathological greed, and declarations of respect for the law did not prevent them from changing laws and breaking them.
Bill Gates (born 1955). Founder and permanent manager of Microsoft (software production, Internet, telecommunications, etc.). The richest man in the world for several years, despite the fact that compared to that. that his fortune has decreased by 60% compared to 1998. Now Gates's fortune, most of which consists of Microsoft shares, is estimated at $40 billion. He entered the prestigious Harvard University, but dropped out. In 1999, Gates published the book Business@Speed of Thought. Windows software is installed on approximately 90% of the world's computers. In 1999, US authorities began pursuing Microsoft under the Antitrust Act. In total, Bill Gates has donated more than $24 billion to various projects in the fields of medicine and education.
George Soros (born 1930). Operates in the field of finance and securities trading. He has the unofficial titles of “Mozart of the Stock Exchange” and “The Man Who Collapsed the Pound Sterling.” Soros is also called a man whose speculation contributed to the destabilization of the economies of Asia and Latin America. Several times Soros's predictions about the future of currencies and securities came true, but in the early 2000s, the assets of his companies decreased by 20% compared to the early 1990s. He is influenced by the ideas of the philosopher Karl Propper, the creator of the concept of an open society. Soros also supports the anti-globalization movement and is actively involved in charity work. For a long time, his Open Society Foundation actively supported various scientific and humanitarian programs in the former USSR. Founder of the Central European University in Budapest. Author of several books, including “Discovering the Soviet System”, “The Alchemy of Finance”, “The Crisis of Global Capitalism”, “Open Society: Reforming Global Capitalism”.
Warren Buffett (born 1930). Holder of the unofficial title “Genius of the Stock Exchange” and “Largest Investor of the Modern Stock Market”. He is best known as the head of the investment company Berkshire Hathaway. As an illustration of Buffett's genius, the following calculation is usually cited: if a person had invested $10,000 in Berkshire Hathaway shares in 1965 (the year Buffett bought it), he would now be worth $51 million. If the investments were evenly distributed among listed stocks in the Standard & Poor stock index (taking into account shares of the largest US companies), then the investor would have received $497.4 thousand. Buffett once revealed the secret of his extraordinary stock market success: “You should invest in things that will be forever popular in the market: people will always buy bread , milk and potatoes." Buffett leads an extremely modest lifestyle. For 40 years he has lived in the same house, drives his own car, buys suits in cheap clothing stores and practically never visits expensive restaurants.
Paul Getty (1892-1976). Transformed a small family oil company into one of the largest oil companies in the world - Getty Oil Company. Managed the work of more than 200 concerns. In 1975, his personal fortune was estimated at $3 billion. He is the founder of the large Getty Museum, which houses one of the world's best collections of ancient and medieval art.
JP Morgan (1837-1913). He worked in finance, railroads, and steel production. Founder of companies such as AT&T (dominated the US telephone market for decades), General Electric (originally a manufacturer of electrical and electrical equipment) and U.S. Steel (the largest steel company in the world) and JP Morgan bank. He had a reputation as a tough, unprincipled businessman and “pirate.” However, Morgan has repeatedly stated that he prefers to replace unrestrained competition with financial stability. Now considered one of the creators of the modern US economy. He collected a huge collection of works of art. In 1920 it was valued at $60 million - today its value could be several billion dollars.
Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877). Railway tycoon. He was actively involved in maritime transport, finance, and trade. Built several important railways. In most cases, he resolved business conflicts using civilized methods, but did not hesitate to use bribery and blackmail. Donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University, which he founded.
Jay Gould (1836-1892). Railway tycoon. He created a fortune based on speculation in shares of railway companies, for which he used unscrupulous and cruel methods. Gould has been involved in numerous corruption scandals. Among the people to whom he gave bribes were members of the US President's family. Founder of Western Union, which became the largest telegraph company in the world. Gould himself called himself "the most hated American of the late 19th century."
His struggle with Vanderbilt for control of one of the railroads entered into the annals of business. The railroad that Gould controlled and that Vanderbilt wanted to acquire was constantly attacked by gangs hired by Vanderbilt. Gould repelled their attacks with artillery guns and even created a special military flotilla to guard the bridges. After Wapderbilt managed to buy a controlling interest in the disputed road on the stock exchange, Gould issued counterfeit shares and kept the property in his hands.
John Rockefeller (1839-1937). Oil king. He also acted in the fields of finance, industry and trade. Founder of the largest US oil company Standard Oil and one of the world's largest steel producers - United States Steel Corporation. In 1911, he became a victim of the law: the US Supreme Court decided to divide Standard Oil into 39 small companies in order to end the monopoly in the oil sector (Rockefeller controlled 90% of the US oil market). Considered the founder of the “intellectual business style”. He was the first oligarch to publish his own autobiography.
Rockefeller constantly spent 10% of his income on charity - throughout his life he donated more than $500 million to the needs of education, medicine, religion and culture. He transitioned philanthropy to a business basis and, for the first time, hired employees to manage the funds allocated to him for charitable purposes. In 1913, one of the largest charitable foundations in the world was created - the Rockefeller Foundation, which is still active today. Rockefeller also founded the University of Chicago and financed its work for a long time.
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). Carnegie's main commercial interests lay in the areas of steel production, coal and iron mining, railroads and finance. Carnegie tried to run an "ethical" business and stated that he always acted strictly within the law. At the same time, he fought fiercely against trade unions. Carnegie was the first to formulate one of the axioms of modern business: the need to increase production capacity long before demand for a given product appears, which subsequently makes it possible to offer the product at lower prices than competitors.
Carnegie is considered the father of modern American philanthropy. In 1889, he published an essay, “The Preaching of Wealth,” in which he argued that rich people have a duty to help the poor. Carnegie was a supporter of the ideas of the British philosopher Herbert Spencer and tried to apply the ideas of neo-Darwinism to modern politics. In particular, he tried to introduce the ideas of peacekeeping and international arbitration into politics. One of the most famous think tanks in the United States, the Carnegie Endowment for the International Peace, as well as the Peace Palace (now the International Court of Justice in The Hague) were founded by Andrew Carnegie. In addition, he opened more than 2.8 thousand free libraries in the United States. Carnegie was also involved in foreign policy - he advocated the peaceful resolution of international conflicts.
John Astor (1763-1848). He made a fortune in the fur trade. He was the first US businessman to establish trade with China. Founded a library that became the basis for the creation of the New York Public Library. His son William invested in the hotel business. Some of the enterprises he founded still exist: these are the Astor Hotel and Waldorf - Astoria hotel chains.
According to Forbes magazine, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Astor and Gates are the richest Americans in US history. This conclusion was made based on a comparison of their capital with the size of the US gross domestic product of their era.
There is never too much money, and the more money there is, the better a person feels, because he can afford a comfortable, carefree life. Therefore, humanity has been chasing wealth for centuries. The most fortunate (smart, strong – underline as necessary) managed to amass and increase their capital, forever becoming one of the richest people in the history of mankind, reports usa.one.
10. Genghis Khan
Years of life: 1162 – 1227
A country: Mongol Empire
State: a lot of land
Genghis Khan can easily be called one of the most successful commanders of all time. As the leader of the Mongol Empire, which at its height stretched from China to Europe, he controlled the largest state in history. However, despite his enormous power and abundance of land, scholars say that Genghis Khan was never able to accumulate personal wealth, because the khan's generosity was the key to his influence.
The fact is that Mongol soldiers, unlike other armies of those times, were forbidden to collect trophies. After a territory was conquered, everything of value and not much was inventoried by official officials and then distributed among the military and their families. And although Genghis Khan received a share of the spoils equally with everyone else, this hardly enriched him.
Source: flickr
9. Bill Gates
Years of life: born 1955
A country: USA
State:$78.9 billion
Well, who doesn’t know the richest man of our time, the creator of Microsoft, Bill Gates. Forbes magazine named him the richest man on the planet several times: from 1996 to 2007, in 2009 and in 2015. And at the same time, Mr. Gates is one of the record holders for the amount of funds donated to charity. He invested an incredible $28 billion in good deeds. Such generosity is worthy of respect.
Source: flickr 8. Alain Rufus, nicknamed Red
Years of life: 1040–1093
A country: England
State:$194 billion
William the Conqueror's nephew, Alain the Red, joined his uncle in the Norman conquest of Britain. For his service and courage in battle, Alain received from King William extensive possessions in Yorkshire and other counties of England. The center of the lands he owned was the Richmond Castle he built - the first stone castle in England. When Alain died, his estate totaled £11,000, which scholars say amounted to 7% of England's GDP at the time. In modern terms, this amount would be equal to $194 billion.
Source: wikimedia 7. John Rockefeller
Years of life: 1839–1937
A country: USA
State:$341 billion
John Davison Rockefeller became the first official dollar billionaire in human history. He made his fortune through oil: the young entrepreneur began investing in the oil industry in 1863, and by 1880 his company, Standard Oil, controlled 90% of American oil production. According to his obituary in the New York Times, Rockefeller's fortune at the time of his death was estimated at approximately $1.5 billion, equivalent to almost 2% of US GDP in 1937. Today that amount would be $341 billion.
Source: wikimedia 6. Andrew Carnegie
Years of life: 1835–1919
A country: USA
State:$372 billion
Although Rockefeller gained worldwide fame due to his fortune, Andrew Carnegie is considered to be the richest American of all time. Scottish immigrant sold his company to U.S. Steel to J.P. Morgan for $480 million in 1901. This amount is equal to approximately 2.1% of US GDP at the time, which would be equivalent to approximately $372 billion today.
Source: wikimedia 5. Joseph Stalin
Years of life: 1878–1953
A country: USSR
State: complete control over the finances of a country that produced 9.6% of world GDP
Stalin is not the most standard figure in modern economic history: a dictator with absolute power who controlled one of the world's largest economies. It is almost impossible to separate Stalin's wealth from the wealth of the Soviet Union. This unique combination of economic power and complete control over the country makes many economists name Stalin among the richest people of all time. And although the money did not belong directly to Stalin, he had the opportunity to use all Soviet economic power at his own discretion.
Source: wikimedia 4. Akbar I
Years of life: 1542–1605
A country: India
State: ruled an empire that produced 25% of world GDP
India's greatest Mughal emperor, Akbar, controlled an empire that accounted for about a quarter of world output. India's per capita GDP in Akbar's time was comparable to that of Elizabethan England, but the extravagant lifestyle of the ruling class there was far superior to that of European high society. The Indian elite was richer than their counterparts in the west. This is written by economist Branko Milanovic, whose research shows that the Mughal dynasty was one of the most effective empires of all time in siphoning money from the population.
Source: wikimedia 3. Emperor Shenzong
Years of life: 1048–1085
A country: China
State: ruled an empire that produced 25–30% of world GDP
The Chinese Song Dynasty (960–1279) was one of the most economically powerful empires of all time. Its wealth came from both technological innovation and an advanced way of collecting taxes that was hundreds of years ahead of the European equivalents of the period. The government of the Song dynasty was highly centralized, which meant that the emperor controlled the economy.
07.12.2014 51 501 10 Reading time: 18 min.
In the last article, I introduced you to the twenty richest dollar billionaires of our time, occupying leading positions in the Forbes ranking. Today I want to bring to your attention. It turns out that history knows examples of achieving wealth that are several times greater than the successes of modern billionaires. It is them that I want to consider today as a good motivational example.
TOP 10 richest people on the planet in history
John Rockefeller
1. John Rockefeller. The fortune of this famous multi-billionaire from the United States was equal in terms of current dollars, taking into account inflation $318 billion, which is more than 4 times more than the richest person of our time, Bill Gates.
John Rockefeller is the richest man on earth in its entire history and the world's first dollar billionaire. In old dollar terms, he created $1.4 billion in wealth during his lifetime, which was 1.54% of annual US GDP at the time.
John Rockefeller was born in 1839 into a poor large family (his father was a lumberjack, and then became a traveling elixir merchant). At the age of 7, he began working part-time in his neighbors’ garden and got himself a little book in which he wrote and put all his earnings in a piggy bank. At the age of 13, he borrowed $50 to a farmer he knew at 7.5% per annum.
His only official paid employment was a short-lived job as an accounting assistant, which Rockefeller took at the age of 16, having previously completed accounting courses. John did not like that his salary was set less than that of his predecessor, and he soon quit.
Next, John Rockefeller became a partner of the entrepreneur, with whom he opened a joint trading business. Moreover, he borrowed the missing $800 from his father at 10% per annum. Later, he was able to convince a representative of one of the banks to give their company a loan for business development, due to which turnover was significantly increased.
In the early 1860s, kerosene lamps began to spread in America, which increased the demand for oil, the raw material for the kerosene used in lamps. John Rockefeller met a chemist involved in oil refining, and together they created a small oil refining company. And already in 1870, Rockefeller created his main vital asset - the Standard Oil oil company, which began searching for and producing oil.
Developing and increasing turnover, John Rockefeller bought up other oil companies, and was soon able to conclude a profitable deal with railway companies, which allowed him to crush his competitors by reducing the cost of oil transportation. Rockefeller presented them with a choice: merger with him or bankruptcy, and competitors chose the first option.
So in 1880, John Rockefeller became a monopolist oil magnate, concentrating 95% of US oil production in his hands. Gradually he expanded his business to other areas of activity.
It is noteworthy that from a young age, John Rockefeller constantly spent 10% of all his income on charity. Rockefeller died at the age of 97.
John Rockefeller's most famous quote: He who works all day has no time to make money.
Andrew Carnegie
2. Andrew Carnegie. American businessman, originally from Scotland, whose fortune in modern currency amounted to $310 billion.
Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835, he came from a poor family of weavers who huddled in one room. From the age of 13, Andrew worked in a textile factory 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, and earned $10 a month for his labor. Then he changed jobs to a telegraph company with a salary of $4 a week.
At the age of 20, he left his mother's house as collateral and took out a loan of $500, with which he purchased stock in the Adams Express railroad company. They began to bring good profits to Carnegie, which he began to invest in securities of metallurgical enterprises involved in car building, shipbuilding, railway construction, as well as in oil producing companies.
Thus, having become rich from the growth in stock prices, he was able to become the largest steel and iron producer in the United States by 1885, first forming the Carnegie Steel Company and then the U.S. Steel, which made him a dollar billionaire.
Like John Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie allocated a portion of his earnings to charity throughout his life.
Nicholas II
3. Nicholas II. The TOP-3 richest people on the planet in the entire human history is closed by the All-Russian Emperor Nicholas II Romanov. His financial condition in today's money was $253 billion.
However, unlike the aforementioned billionaires, he, as a tsar, inherited all his wealth, considered the sovereign’s property, from his father Alexander the Third. There is no information in popular sources about whether he was in any way involved in increasing his fortune; attention is paid only to his government.
As you know, the life of Nicholas II was tragically cut short in 1918, when he, along with his family and associates, were shot by the Bolsheviks.
William Henry Vanderbilt
4. William Henry Vanderbilt. Next in the TOP of the richest people in the world is the 19th century American capitalist William Vanderbilt, whose name is not so well known and there is little information about him. However, he ranks 4th in the TOP of the world's richest people in history - his financial fortune in terms of almost $232 billion.
Vanderbilt inherited a large fortune from his father, who at first did not want to allow him into the family business (he had 11 children in total, of which three were sons), but then, convinced of William’s abilities as a businessman, gradually took him into the share.
After the death of his father, William Henry Vanderbilt inherited a fortune worth $90 billion, and then increased it by more than 2 times. His main asset was the railway company. In 1885, Vanderbilt was considered the richest man in the world at that time.
Osman Ali Khan
5. Osman Ali Khan. Rounding out the TOP 5 richest people in the world in history is Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah the Seventh, originally from India. His fortune was almost $211 billion at the current rate.
Osman Ali Khan had a princely title: he inherited the throne of one of the Indian states from his father. At the same time, he was the head of the largest diamond trading business - a global monopolist in the supply of these precious stones. In the early 40s of the 20th century, his wealth was estimated at 2 million then dollars, which at that time amounted to 2% of US GDP.
Andrew Mellon
6. Andrew Mellon. American banker who briefly served as US Secretary of the Treasury and US Ambassador to Great Britain. His fortune was almost $189 billion translated into modern currency.
Andrew Mellon was born in 1855 in the USA and followed in the footsteps of his father, who was also a banker. First, at the age of 17, with the help of his father, he opened a manufacturing enterprise engaged in logging, and then, at the age of 27, he became a bank manager.
Throughout his life, Andrew Mellon worked in various areas of business, and already in old age he held major government positions.
Henry Ford
7. Henry Ford. Here, finally, is a familiar name again - the famous automobile tycoon Henry Ford, whose fortune amounted to $188 billion.
Henry Ford can serve as a good example of how to achieve great success and become a dollar billionaire from scratch. He was born in 1863 in the USA into a family of immigrants living on a farm. At the age of 16, Ford ran away from home and went to look for work in Detroit, where he began his career as a mechanical engineer and gradually rose through the ranks.
In 1883, he independently assembled his first car (not for work, but as a hobby), then became a co-owner of the Detroit Automobile Company, and in 1903 founded his own automobile company, the Ford Motor Company. This company began to independently produce cars: first the Ford A brand, but its main success was brought by the Ford T brand, production of which began in 1908.
Ford Motor Company repeatedly faced serious competition, and Henry Ford even suffered losses in this struggle, but did not stop and moved on. He constantly improved production technologies and, as a result, switched to a full production cycle: from the extraction of iron ore to the production of the finished car.
Henry Ford also became famous for paying his employees the highest wage in the United States at that time - $5 a day.
As you know, the business started by Henry Ford lives on to this day: Ford cars are a huge success all over the world.
Marcus Licinius Crassus
8. Marcus Licinius Crassus. Ancient Roman commander. Unlike other representatives of the TOP 10 richest people in the world throughout history, Crassus lived all the way back to 115-53 BC. However, he was able to achieve wealth, which in today's money amounted to almost $170 billion.
It turns out that even before our era it was possible to run a thriving business. Marcus Licinius Crassus made his fortune mainly by buying houses for next to nothing that had been damaged by fires, which were a common occurrence in Ancient Rome due to wars, restoring them with the help of 500 hired workers and reselling them at a significantly higher price. Crassus also made money from the slave trade and silver mining.
Marcus Licinius Crassus was known as a very greedy and dishonest man. There were rumors that he even deliberately set fire to houses in order to build a business on it. As a result, he was killed; according to one version, he was executed by having molten gold poured into his mouth, as a symbol of his greed.
Basil II
9. Basil II. Byzantine emperor from the family of Alexander the Great, whose reign spanned 976-1025. His net worth in today's money was $169 billion.
There is little information about this man, who is among the TOP 10 richest people in the world in history. It is only known that he was able to significantly expand the borders of the Byzantine Empire, annexing other lands to it. What’s interesting is that after his death the empire soon collapsed.
Cornelius Vanderbilt
10. Cornelius Vanderbilt. American businessman, father of William Henry Vanderbilt, who occupies 4th position in the TOP 10 richest people in the world. His wealth in today's money was $167 billion.
Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in the USA in 1794 into a family of poor farmers. At the age of 11, he decided that studying at school would not bring him anything good (he said “If I got an education, I wouldn’t have time to learn everything else”), he dropped out and went to work as a ferryman.
At the age of 16, he borrowed $100 from his mother, with which he opened his own business: he began transporting people on a small barge. A year later, he gave away 11 times more money: $1,100, which he managed to earn from this business.
Then Vanderbilt began to buy other ships, and soon he had a whole flotilla at his disposal. Later he switched to the railway business, and also began organizing transcontinental transportation.
Cornelius Vanderbilt was known as a very tough man, merciless in competition. It is believed that it was thanks to this character trait that he was able to achieve such magnitude.
This is what the TOP 10 richest people in the world in history look like. As you can see, there are both good and bad role models here. But it can still be argued that the majority of the richest people on the planet, mainly US citizens, were able to do it on their own, through investing and developing businesses, coming from poor families and starting from scratch. Which once again confirms the fact that this is possible.
I hope that it was not in vain that I carefully collected this information, and that the information received will have a certain motivating effect on you. Stay on, improve your financial literacy, and perhaps in the future you will be the one who will be able to bring your financial condition, your wealth and success closer to these historical characters. See you again!
Estimate:
20. Sam Walton
The most famous supermarket chain in the world, Walmart, was founded in 1962 by American Sam Walton. He himself led a modest life, but his fortune was estimated by Forbes expert Peter Bronstein at $64.5 billion. From 1985 to 1988, Forbes magazine named Sam Walton the richest man in America.
19. Marshall Field
Marshall Field made his fortune by developing a chain of retail stores, Marshall Field and Co., in Chicago. The network was founded during the American Civil War. These were the first chain stores where the “customer is always right” rule was elevated to absolute.
Enterprises servicing the stores were located even in Australia. Field's maximum fortune, according to Peter Bronstein, was $66.1 billion (adjusted for inflation). Field's will was read in court and went down in history as one of the longest (22 thousand words). He appointed two grandchildren as the main heirs.
18. Stephen van Renseller
Runseller inherited his fortune. He was the last representative of the influential family of Dutch "patrons" in the state of New York, which since 1630 owned the largest estate in the Albany area - Rensellerswick.
Runseller was a state senator and then lieutenant governor. In 1824 he founded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The New York Times estimated Runseller's maximum wealth at $68.5 billion.
17. Jay Gould
Jay Gould was called the "robber baron." Gould earned his fortune, which The New York Times experts estimated at $71.2 billion, from railroads and gold speculation.
Jay Gould actually carried out a transport revolution in the USA in the 19th century. With financier James Fisk, he bought enough gold from the market to directly influence that market.
16. Warren Buffett
Buffett is an American entrepreneur, the world's largest investor, his fortune as of March 1, 2015 is estimated at $72.7 billion. Known by the nicknames "The Seer", "The Wizard of Omaha" and is the largest philanthropist in human history. The investor promised to give away 99% of his funds.
15. Carlos Slim
Carlos Slim is a Mexican businessman of Arab origin, the son of Maronite emigrants from Lebanon. According to Forbes, Slim was the richest person in the world in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Already in 2008 his fortune was $61.8 billion, in 2013 - $ 73 billion . Slim's largest source of income is from telecommunications companies.
14. Henry Lancaster
An English aristocrat and diplomat, one of the founders of the Order of the Garter, Henry Lancaster inherited his fortune. It was estimated by experts at $77.5 billion. From 1390 to 1392, he led the life of a knight errant in continental Europe and Palestine, including participating in the civil war in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
13. Frederick Weyerhauser
According to Peter Bronstein, Weyerhauser's maximum wealth was $79.4 billion. He can be called the “king of logging.” It was this activity that became his ticket to becoming rich. When Weyerhauser moved from Germany to the United States, he founded one of the largest logging companies there, and by the beginning of the twentieth century he became one of the richest landowners in the country.
12. A. T. Stewart
Stewart made his capital in the retail trade. Economist Peter Rubinstein estimated it at $88.9 billion. Stewart opened his first department store in Manhattan, then significantly expanded the chain.
11. John Gaunt
Founder of the House of Lancaster, to which the English kings Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI belonged. Gaunt, one of the heroes of Shakespeare's works, regent of Richard II, received his fabulous fortune, estimated by historian William Rubinstein at $101 billion, as an inheritance.
10. Stephen Girard
A French-born merchant and banker who was directly involved in saving the U.S. government's economy from financial collapse during the War of 1812, Girard was one of America's richest men. Experts estimate that Stephen was the fourth richest man in American history. His fortune is estimated at $105 billion. Stephen Girard opened his own bank, Girard's Bank, in the United States.
9. Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel
William Rubinstein estimated that the Earl of Arundel's maximum wealth was $108 billion (adjusted for inflation). Sources of income are wars. He fought in the Hundred Years' War and the Scottish Wars of Independence. His fortune was inherited.
8. John Jacob Astor
A Harvard graduate, John Jacob Astor made his $121 billion fortune through trading and investing. He began with the fur trade, and in this area by 1900 he had virtually established a monopoly. He then switched to real estate investing, primarily in New York City. Astor is also known as a writer and inventor. Died during the sinking of the Titanic.
7. William de Warenne
The Norman William I de Warenne became a billionaire for his valor. He took part in the Battle of Hastings and was rewarded with possessions in Sussex, Norfolk and Yorkshire, becoming the first Earl of Surrey.
Historian William Rubenstein estimates that de Warenne's maximum wealth was $134 billion (adjusted for inflation).
6. Bill Gates
Bill Gates's fortune peaked in 1999 at $136 billion. In the period from 1996 to 2007, in 2009 and in 2015 - the richest person on the planet according to Forbes magazine. His fortune in March 2015, according to Forbes magazine, was estimated at $79.2 billion.
5. Alan Rufus
According to William Rubinstein, Alan Rufus's maximum wealth was $149 billion (adjusted for inflation).
He “made his capital” through conquests, and was also generously rewarded for his service. The Norman joined William the Conqueror in his invasion of Britain. He later owned 250,000 acres of land (more than 100,000 hectares) from Yorkshire to London. He also owned Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire.
4. Cornelius Vanderbilt
Economist Bernstein estimated the fortune of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt at $185 billion.
In 1862, Vanderbilt began buying up railroad lines, and he also made large profits from shipping by leasing ships, including to the government during the Civil War. Vanderbilt is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the 19th century, the founder of the plutocratic Vanderbilt dynasty.
3. William the Conqueror
According to historian William Rubinstein's assessment for Ti magazine 
Historian William Rubenstein estimated for Times magazine that the Conqueror's maximum wealth, adjusted for inflation, was $209 billion.
William became rich, of course, thanks to his military activities, namely the conquest of England in 1066. He left a very substantial inheritance to his sons Odo and Robert.
2. Andrew Carnegie
Peter Bernstein (Forbes) estimates Carnegie's wealth at $309 billion (adjusted for inflation).
Andrew Carnegie was the "Steel King". He invested in steel production at a time when the market was booming and became the head of the United States Steel corporation.
1. John Rockefeller
Economist Peter Bernstein estimated John Rockefeller's fortune at $336 billion for Forbes magazine.
The main source was oil refineries. In 1870, at age 31, Rockefeller founded Standard Oil. Subsequently, he bought up most of the US oil refineries. And today the Rockefellers control up to 90% of the American oil business.