nothing in the world would change at all, so what would the point of the currency be? Maybe I'm asking too much, but in other words-- what would be so revolutionary about it?
I think you're underestimating the utility of being able to transfer money across international borders nearly instantaneously and without paying fees to a financial institution.
Bitcoin doesn't have to solve the socioeconomic problems of the world to be a big deal. It just has to provide a useful service that people will want to use.
I share your idealistic desire for a more egalitarian distribution of wealth. However, I don't see bitcoin as the solution to that social issue. I just see it as a useful technology that can enable people to transfer money through the internet without a middleman.