World leaders, heads of the world’s largest companies and some celebrities are gathering every January for almost 50 years in the small Swiss mountain town of Davos at the World Economic Forum.
This year, on the panel discussion was also and historian Rutger Bregman who wasn’t afraid to confront the billionaires at Davos about their greed.
We deliver his speech in its entirety.
„This is my first time at Davos, and I find it quite a bewildering experience, to be honest.
I mean 1 500 private jets have flown in here to hear Sir David Attenborought speak about, you know, how we’re wrecking the planet. And, I mean, I hear people talking the language of participation and justice and equality and transparency, but then, I mean, almost no one raises the real issue of tax avoidance, right? And of the rich just not paying their fair share. I mean, it feels like I’m at a firefighters conference and no one’s allowed to speak about water, right?
There was only one panel, actually- apart from this one, one panel hidden away in the media center that was actually about tax avoidance. I was one of the 15 participants. Something needs to change here.
I mean, 10 years ago, the World Economic Forum asked the question, what must industry do to prevent a broad social backlash?
The answer is very simple: Just stop talking about philanthropy, and start talking about taxes. Taxes, taxes. We need to- just two days ago there was a billionaire in here, what’s his name? Michael Dell. And he asked a question like, name me one country where a top marginal tax rate of 70% has actually worked? And, you know, I’m a historian- the United States, that’s where it has actually worked, in the 1950s during Republican President Elsenhower, you know, the war veteran.
The top marginal tax rate in the U.S. was 91% for people like Michael Dell. You know, the top estate tax for people like Michael Dell was more than 70%.
I mean, this is not rocket science. I mean, we can talk for a very long time about all these stupid philanthropy schemes. We can invite Bono once more.
But, come on, we’ve got to be talking about taxes. That’s it. Taxes, taxes, taxes.
All the rest is bullsh*t in my opinion. „
See the full speech on the video below:
‘It feels like I’m at a firefighters conference and no one’s allowed to speak about water.’ — This historian wasn’t afraid to confront the billionaires at Davos about their greed pic.twitter.com/TiXSJZd89M
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 29, 2019
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