From 1999 to 2014, Hans-Peter Martin, who is stated in the book to be one of just three journalists to be allowed to take part in all activities at the Fairmont convention, was a member of the European Parliament.

The book was a best-seller in the authors‘ native Austria and Germany[1] and went on to be a worldwide bestseller with over 800,000 copies sold and translated into 27 languages.

[3] They describe how a global 80:20 distribution already exists in many aspects, and illustrate possible economic, social and political consequences of free trade and deregulated financial markets.

In the beginning, they describe how at a conference at the invitation of Mikhail Gorbachev with 500 leading politicians, business leaders and academics from all continents[4] from September 27 - October 1, 1995 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, the term "one-fifth-society" arose.

The authors predict huge number of unemployed,[5] perhaps finding themselves in low-paid voluntary community services to boost their morale.