but I often see them undermining those beneath them.

I feel like asking such people, "what's beneath?" Why they don't realize, The One who made them privelaged can take back all these privelages in one swift moment?

we could play our own individual roles in empowering the underprivileged.

Yes, the money should be circulated and beauty of our religion is that we already have the obligation of Zakat to keep this in check. (: