If you think there's almost always no actual difference, consider this: in the United States, the richest 10% of all households own >70% of the country's wealth

If you think there's almost always no actual difference, consider this: in the United States, the richest 10% of all households own >70% of the country's wealth. The richest 1% own 35% of the country's wealth. The rest of the population may own some stock, but it's a pittance relative to the capitalist class. We're not running the show. Regarding Bill Gates, he acquired his wealth by exploiting workers, not to mention everyone else, engaging in illegal monopolistic practices. Moreover, he's even wealthier now than he was before retiring from Microsoft and claiming to want to give most of his wealth away. And he's 67 years old, time's a wastin'. The problem is that wealth begets wealth. Gates doesn't even have to work to continue to accumulate wealth, so much so that he can't seem to give away money faster than he makes it. That's the essential difference: having to work for your money vs. having your money (and also everyone else) work for you.