It&#x27;s a common statement by stock traders.  The original version seems to be from Henry Lloyd, in 1894, writing about &quot;business combinations&quot;, at the dawn of antitrust law: 
&quot;Property to the extent of uncounted millions has been changed from the possession of the many who owned it to the few who hold it&quot;.[1]<p>The shorter version shows up in the writings of many stock traders. &quot;The markets are designed to take money from the many and distribute it to the few.&quot;, is from Bruce Babcock.[2] &quot;There is a persistent overall tendency for equity to flow from the many to the few. In the long run, the majority loses.&quot; is from William Eckhardt.[3] &quot;The purpose of the markets is to redistribute wealth from the many to the few&quot; is from Peter Brandt.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.let.rug.nl&#x2F;usa&#x2F;documents&#x2F;1876-1900&#x2F;excerpt-from-henry-demarest-lloyd-wealth-against-commonwealth-1894.php" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.let.rug.nl&#x2F;usa&#x2F;documents&#x2F;1876-1900&#x2F;excerpt-from-h...</a>
[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.rb-trading.com&#x2F;article1.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.rb-trading.com&#x2F;article1.html</a>
[3] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.aaii.com&#x2F;journal&#x2F;article&#x2F;market-wizards-advice-doing-the-uncomfortable-thing.touch" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.aaii.com&#x2F;journal&#x2F;article&#x2F;market-wizards-advice-do...</a>
[4] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;peterlbrandt.com&#x2F;the-purpose-of-the-markets-is-to-redistribute-wealth-from-the-many-to-the-few&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;peterlbrandt.com&#x2F;the-purpose-of-the-markets-is-to-red...</a>