To let our friend Steve off the hook, I think you've got the number too high. The people who create the money from mortgages aren't spreading that ability around. They're not the 1%, they're one in 100M or the .00000001% (if I've counted my zeroes right). I'd say no more than 80 oligarchs in the world. And WORSE than throwing them in the bottom of the ocean, where their impotent rage would be extinguished, would be taking back the assets and labor that backs their money--or bubble gum wrappers as Putin calls it. In the immortal words of the Godfather, 'Take the assets, leave the money.' The money will only shoot you in the foot.