America Makes Up Half of the World's Richest One Percent

And the top 1% means those that earn $34,000 (after taxes) or more.  Startling but true. If anything, it does highlight, that once basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing are met, "wealth" really is a relative concept. Things like iphones and HD televisions which is within the grasp of most anyone in the United States (including for those that earn below $34K) would have been beyond the grasp of Kings and Queens in the last century. Quite literally.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/04/news/economy/world_richest/index.htm?source=cnn_bin