Against inequality : the practical and ethical case for abolishing the superrich /
"Stark inequality is a problem the world over, one that has been worsening over the past 30 years, particularly in rich, economically developed countries. To acquire the same amount of wealth as Elon Musk, the average American worker would have to work for more than four and a half million year...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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New York, NY :
Oxford University Press,
[2023]
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| Online Access: | Connect to the full text of this electronic book |
| Summary: | "Stark inequality is a problem the world over, one that has been worsening over the past 30 years, particularly in rich, economically developed countries. To acquire the same amount of wealth as Elon Musk, the average American worker would have to work for more than four and a half million years. Is this inequality morally acceptable, and is it feasible to actually reduce inequality in the real world? This book makes the case for rejecting meritocracy, presenting a strong defense against the claim that individuals “deserve” their wealth. The book argues that people, especially rich people, do not morally deserve the bulk of their income because it does not, by and large, come from anything they themselves do but is largely thanks to the vast understructure of other people's labor, in addition to their lucky possession of bodily talents and efforts. Furthermore, the book brings to light extensive historical and comparative evidence to show that raising taxes on both income and wealth is practically feasible and that any costs of doing so are far outweighed by the truly enormous benefits that such taxes could bring in terms of environmental sustainability, democratic equality, equal opportunity, and reduced racism and xenophobia"--Publisher's description. |
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| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (335 pages) : illustrations |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 0197670415 9780197670439 0197670431 9780197670415 |