"Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian and author who studies poverty and global inequality, had a first this year: being invited to the world’s most prominent gathering of wealthy people — the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Switzerland — as a speaker...
[Bregman]...decided to say something during the panel discussion
about income inequality he was on, hosted by Time magazine on Friday.
He started by saying that he found the conference’s mix of indulgence
and global problem-solving a bit bewildering.
“I mean 1,500 private jets have flown in here to hear Sir David Attenborough speak
about how we’re wrecking the planet," he said. "I hear people talking
the language of participation and justice and equality and transparency.
But then almost no one raises the real issue of tax avoidance. And of
the rich just not paying their fair share. It feels like I’m at a
firefighters conference and no one is allowed to speak about water.
“This is not rocket science,” he said. “We can talk for a very long time about all these stupid philanthropy schemes, we can invite Bono once more, but, come on, we got to be talking about taxes. That’s it. Taxes, taxes, taxes — all the rest is bulls---, in my opinion.”
