The question isn't whether being rich/poor affects somebody's potential status as a refugee for non-economic reasons (e.g. persecution in their home country), i

The question isn't whether being rich/poor affects somebody's potential status as a refugee for non-economic reasons (e.g. persecution in their home country), it's whether enconomic reasons alone are enough to justify "refugee" status. Which side you come down on regarding this is subjective, but either way your comment isn't relevant.