In ancient times, there were aristocratic families, and today there are conglomerate families. The changes in the times have not eliminated the differences between classes.
In today's society, there are still many families with huge wealth, and the power in their hands can have an impact on the world.
For example, the five most terrifying families.
They are powerful, ruthless, and secretly manipulate the levers of power around the world. Their influence can even traumatize a country in an instant.
So today, let us unveil this mysterious veil and explore who the five most terrifying families in the world are.
The Five Major Financial Families
Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the development of capitalism in the West has led to rapid concentration of production and capital, facilitating the integration of domestic bank capital and industrial capital, resulting in many monopolistic conglomerates similar to 'noble families'.
They control key industries and enterprises, mastering the country's economic lifeline, and over time, some wealthy capitalists have expanded their scale through mergers.
While continuously growing their own strength, they also extended their 'claws' into the political sphere and, through various operations, became part of the ruling group of the country.
Especially after World War II, American conglomerates' ambitions grew increasingly, aiming not only to dominate the U.S. economy but also to expand their influence abroad and establish monopolistic positions internationally.
As it stands now, there are five families in the world widely discussed for their immense wealth and influence, rumored to possess power sufficient to dominate any country.
So is the reality really as they claim?
Starting with the Rothschild family, which occupies an important position in the global financial system, they originated from the European banking industry in the late 18th century and quickly amassed enormous wealth after their establishment.
At the same time, as they have evolved with the times, they have not only established a global financial network but also control a significant number of banks and financial institutions.
Over the years, the family's influence has spread across London, Paris, and even throughout Europe, making them a well-deserved 'giant' in the international financial industry.
Following them are the Koch family, Bush family, and Walton family, which have sparked considerable reactions in American politics and business.
The first two are two major families that have long dominated American politics, while the latter is the owner of the world's largest retail empire, Walmart.
The Koch family is hailed as the 'money engine' of American politics, and they are also leaders in the domestic energy and chemical industries.
They have used money to court many members of the U.S. Congress, thereby extending their influence into politics and affecting the formulation of many U.S. policies.
The Bush family is a famous political dynasty in American history, having produced two U.S. presidents and holds significant influence in politics even today.
Moreover, members of the Bush family have been involved in industries like steel and finance, leveraging generations of effort to reach their current position.
Many media outlets even refer to them as the 'Bush Dynasty', indicating their formidable strength.
Although the Volvo family may not be as famous in the political arena as the first two, their position in the retail industry remains significant.
The Walton family has defeated countless retailers with its 'low-price strategy', changing the landscape of American retail and extending this model globally.
As time passed, the wealth accumulation of the Walton family has reached an enormous figure, and with their business empire, they have firmly secured the position of 'leader' in the global retail industry.
The last one is the Saudi family from the Middle East, serving as the royal family of Saudi Arabia.
They possess abundant oil resources, which not only provide enormous political influence in the Middle East but also allow them to exert significant influence over the global energy market through control of oil supplies.
For example, whenever there are fluctuations in international crude oil prices, the decisions of the Saudi royal family can act as a 'regulator', directly influencing the direction of the global economy.
The Three Giants of America
The frightening power of the world's five major families is enough to dominate any country, and some even control the U.S. government.
The Koch family, Bush family, and Walton family have been the three major conglomerates in the United States for many years, with their influence encompassing all aspects of American society.
Let's start with the Koch family.
They initially emerged from the oil and chemical industries, and their founder, Fred Koch, co-founded a refinery with his classmates in 1918, which is also the initial form of Koch Industries.
As the family members continue to 'expand their territory', the Koch Industries began to develop comprehensively across multiple fields.
Including oil extraction, refining, trade, etc., and they also own North America's largest liquefied petroleum gas processing group, occupying 25% of the market, indicating the size of their operation.
However, after achieving success in business, the Koch family became dissatisfied with the status quo and began to turn their attention to politics.
Over the years, they have continuously supported political figures through financial means, while also funding organizations that promote liberal ideology to establish a beneficial ideological framework for themselves.
Moreover, the Koch family can even counterbalance the U.S. government, for example, during Obama's presidency, the Koch brothers raised funds to attempt to influence Obama’s policies.
Including opposition to healthcare reform and climate change policies, among others.
They influence policy formulation by funding organizations and individuals opposing Obama's policies.
From this, it can be seen that the Koch family's influence is quite remarkable.
In fact, besides the Koch family, the Bush family’s strength is equally formidable.
From George H.W. Bush to George W. Bush, and then to Jeb Bush, they are all prominent figures in American politics.
Especially after George H.W. Bush was elected president in 1989, the family's status in politics has soared.
They have almost witnessed the changes in American modern political landscape and are related to 15 U.S. presidents, establishing extensive networks and political alliances that exert powerful influence on American politics.
Additionally, the Bush family has also successfully ventured into industries such as steel and finance, establishing good relationships through cooperation with giants in various fields, thus accumulating initial capital.
In various international political events, one can see the fingerprints of the Bush family.
In the 1990s, when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, George H.W. Bush dispatched over 400,000 American troops to participate in the action, ultimately achieving victory in Operation Desert Storm.
In addition, there is the Walton family, which, by establishing Walmart, has emerged as a major force among numerous American companies, exerting enormous influence in the U.S. and globally.
As the world's largest retail company, the Walton family, through Walmart, contributes billions of dollars in revenue to the U.S. government each year, influencing over a million jobs in America.
Especially in North Arkansas, the Walton family's influence is immense.
Their business has not only stimulated economic development in Benton County, but also contributed to the economic income of many surrounding towns and counties.
In addition, the 'Walmart' established by the Walton family now has over 10,000 stores in more than 20 countries worldwide.
Their establishment not only accelerated the process of globalization but also changed social habits, gradually transforming consumption patterns.
Beyond these three major American families, there are two other families internationally that also wield extensive influence.
The business 'sharks' of Europe and the Middle East
The five most terrifying families in the world: Besides the three American families, who are the other two families with such strength that they can easily dominate other countries.
As part of the capitalist ideological framework like the United States, Europe also has many historical financial families, such as the Rothschild family.
Since the early 19th century, as their founder Mayer Rothschild conducted business widely and established the Rothschild family bank in 1785, they began to gain fame in Europe.
Immediately afterward, Mayer sent his five sons to five different European countries to manage family businesses, leading to the rapid development of the Rothschild influence and stepping towards glory.
Especially during wartime, they gained continuous funding through their own government and various industries, establishing a vast financial empire.
They have almost become synonymous with money and wealth, exerting control and dominance over European and even global finance for over a century.
At the same time, the Rothschild family has maintained close ties with European nobility, and their influence can be seen across major cities in Europe from St. Petersburg to Vienna, and from Paris to London.
Over the years, the family's business has spread across multiple fields globally.
Whether in real estate, mining, or agriculture, they hold considerable sway, and family assets are often traded globally in the form of stocks or bonds.
Like the Rothschild family, the Saudi family rooted in the Middle East also possesses formidable economic strength.
From a political influence perspective, the Saudi family enjoys a very special status in Saudi Arabia.
Their members hold the most important economic, social, and political powers in the country and are a revered royal family locally.
Moreover, the Saudi family controls the entire political system of Saudi Arabia and occupies all key positions in the government due to its large family size.
The number of princes alone is about 7,000, and they have held crucial positions in the Saudi state through generations.
Secondly, from an economic perspective, the Saudi family also has formidable strength that cannot be underestimated.
Their 36 private companies have all held a place in the Forbes Middle East list, indicating the significant role that this family's businesses play in Saudi Arabia.
Moreover, for many years the Saudi family has established close relationships with important tribes through intermarriage and alliances.
Thus, expanding their influence in the Middle East, allowing the Saudi family to remain resilient in an increasingly tense situation.
More importantly, through their political and economic power, Saudi Arabia also holds a certain level of influence on the international stage.
Especially within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the oil resources they possess play an important role and have a significant impact on global energy policies.
From the five families mentioned above, it is not difficult to see that they share an important commonality: their formidable influence.
Over the years, these five families have cultivated their power and resources across various industries and fields, and this influence has become their confidence in making waves internationally.
Even from the roles of these five families in economics, politics, and business.
They can effortlessly change the direction of some important policies, influence market trends and consumer behavior, ultimately converging to create significant fluctuations even on a global scale.
