London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

A global tax on millionaires would benefit the wealthy as well as the poor

A global tax on millionaires would benefit the wealthy as well as the poor

An open letter was recently published that was signed by more than 100 millionaires and billionaires, pleading to their class brethren – particularly those participating in the World Economic Forum’s recent online Davos summit – to adopt a fairer international tax system.
“To put it simply, restoring trust requires taxing the rich. The world – every country in it – must demand the rich pay their fair share,” the letter states. “Tax us, the rich, and tax us now.” In its conclusion, the letter adds a pretty astute assessment of the situation we face around the world. This is not a group of self-hating rich folk but rational-minded people looking to protect their own self-interest, as convoluted as that might sound.

“History paints a pretty bleak picture of what the endgame of extremely unequal societies looks like. For all our well-being – rich and poor alike – it’s time to confront inequality and choose to tax the rich. Show the people of the world that you deserve their trust,” the letter continues. “If you don’t, then all the private talks won’t change what’s coming – it’s taxes or pitchforks. Let’s listen to history and choose wisely.”

What the signatories are talking about is the fact that global capitalism has ratcheted up inequality, its primary contradiction, to a point that it is unlikely to be able to sustain itself much longer. This was already a huge problem prior to 1Covid1-19, but it has only got worse.

As Oxfam found in a report published earlier this month, the 10 richest men in the world have doubled their cumulative fortune from $700 billion to $1.5 trillion since the start of the pandemic. A new billionaire was created once every 26 hours from March 2020 to November 2021, it found.

But, on the flip side, according to Oxfam, more than 160 million people are so far estimated to have slipped beneath the poverty line. This egregious inequality, the report says, is responsible for more than 21,000 deaths per day.

Separately, the World Bank said in a report in September last year that the incomes of the bottom 40% globally fell by 6.7% compared to pre-pandemic projections. Inflation is surely eating away at wages even more at this point.

A major driver of this inequality has been the tax system. For example, in the United States, former President Donald Trump’s signature tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations created fertile ground for the pandemic hand-up. The Trump tax cuts lowered the corporate tax rate by 40% and, in its first year, doubled the number of companies paying zero taxes from 30 to 60. This included major firms such as Amazon.com Inc., Netflix Inc., Chevron Corp., Eli Lilly and Co., and Deere & Co., some of which have faced heavy criticism over working conditions.

The Trump estate tax cut – essentially a giveaway to the ultra-rich – triggered a 50% nosedive in IRS revenue from wealthy individuals, according to a Bloomberg report. This figure went from around $20 billion to just over $9 billion in 2020.

So, what can be done? Well, there’s already been talk about a global minimum tax. Late last year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development put forward a “two-pillar” solution, following an agreement by G20 countries in October 2021. This will establish a 15% minimum global tax by 2023 – however, analysis from Reuters found that there are glaring, billion-dollar loopholes such as “profit shifting” across countries – a strategy now widely used by major tech companies.

Fortunately, a detailed report by Oxfam, the Fighting Inequality Alliance, the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Patriotic Millionaires has found that a simple wealth tax on the global ultra-rich could raise over $2.5 trillion each year. This would have a graduated rate structure, with a 2% tax on wealth over $5 million, 3% on wealth over $50 million, and 5% on wealth over $1 billion.

The bottom line? This would be enough money to lift 2.3 billion people out of poverty, vaccinate everyone in the world, and ensure the likes of universal healthcare and a social safety net for everyone in low- and lower-middle-income countries, which covers about 3.6 billion people.

This seems a pretty easy fix to save capitalism from itself.

However, the discussion deserves further reflection, given that it wouldn’t be just poorer people who would benefit, but everyone – including the ultra-wealthy. First of all, it’s important to realize that ultra-wealth is not actually cash in hand, in many cases. The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, derives his fortune from stock holdings, namely Tesla, the company he acts as CEO for, and has admitted in court filings that he has debt against this stock.

In his own words, people like him are just in charge of huge “capital allocation” – and that is a responsibility, which no doubt induces massive stress, that no one person should have.

Second of all, there’s a reason why most billionaires live much of their lives in secrecy. They’re not the most popular individuals – and rightfully so, since their wealth often comes from exploitation. Maybe this is why people such as Musk and Jeff Bezos want to escape to another planet, Mark Zuckerberg is trying to create an alternative reality, Bill Gates spends a fortune in the media to make people like him, and Jack Dorsey is delving into ancient meditation practices.

Even your average, everyday millionaires – which actually works out to be quite a lot of older folks, at least in the US – have persistent stress and anxiety. The tension in society is omnipresent.

But, finally, the thing is that even if these guys weren’t in these roles, someone else would be. You can take that to the bank, since their stock-dependent wealth means they are bound by shareholders to juice profits by any means.

In the end, we are not talking about a moral failing of individuals, but a systemic issue that requires a systemic response, namely redistributive policies – otherwise, bring on those pitchforks.

Hats off to the signatories of that open letter who have the wherewithal to see the proverbial writing on the wall.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×