The OP Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) Bernie Sanders has previously commented that billionaires should not exist. Labour MP Russell Lloyd Moyle went on Radio 5 Live making the same point recently and it has got the right-wing tabloids SEETHING. Is the existence of billionaires justified when there is so much poverty and suffering in the world? Should the state limit people's ability to succeed and discourage personal ambition? Any P&Bers ever made a billion? If so, would they like to redistribute some wealth my way? Edited October 31, 2019 by The OP 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon EF Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 2 minutes ago, The OP said: Bernie Sanders has previously commented that billionaires should not exist. Labour MP Russell Lloyd Moyle went on Radio 5 Live making the same point recently and it has got the right-wing tabloids SEETHING. Is the existence of billionaires justified when there is so much poverty and suffering in the world? Should the state limit people's ability to succeed and discourage personal ambition? Any P&Bers ever made a billion? If so, would they like to redistribute some wealth my way? I don't think we could or should introduce some wealth cap that once somebody reaches, the government basically steps in and just nabs everything off the top. I would be in favour of structuring tax laws in such a way that being a billionaire isn't really possible. This is ideal world type stuff. Clearly in the UK did this then to some extent, cash just floods out to somewhere that'll let you do what you want. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross. Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Inherited wealth should be the target. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Being a billionaire isn't the problem. It's when billionaires use their wealth to "buy" influence in Governments/Politics. This is why the dice becomes loaded in their favour. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Pay billionaires footballers' wages... 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 4 minutes ago, Ross. said: Inherited wealth should be the target. Hmmm. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The OP Posted October 31, 2019 Author Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) 10 minutes ago, sjc said: Being a billionaire isn't the problem. It's when billionaires use their wealth to "buy" influence in Governments/Politics. This is why the dice becomes loaded in their favour. Pretty sure the dice is already loaded in a billionaire's favour m8. However, I think the point is more that that level of wealth is clearly excessive and more than anyone can use and should be redistributed. It's not 'do billionaires have an unfair advantage?' Edited October 31, 2019 by The OP 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derry Alli Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Redistributed where, exactly? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Just now, The OP said: Pretty sure the dice is already loaded in a billionaire's favour m8. However, I think the point is more that that level of wealth is clearly excessive and more than anyone can use and should be redistributed. It's not 'do billionaires have an unfair advantage?' I wasn't suggesting that billionaires have it tough! Some become hugely successful and wealthy due to continually developing much sought after products. Should this be discouraged? Also, as asked below, how do you propose this is redistributed? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon EF Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 5 minutes ago, Dele said: Redistributed where, exactly? Everywhere..... UBI 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTChris Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Here are Scotland's billionaires Glenn Gordon and family - spirits - £2.882bn. Sir Ian Wood and family - oil services and fishing - £1.763bn. Mohamed Al Fayed and family - retailing - £1.7bn. John Shaw and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw - pharmaceuticals - £1.689bn Mahdi al-Tajir - metals, oil and Highland Spring water - £1.66bn Trond Mohn and Marit Mohn Westlake and family - industry - £1.602bn Thomson family - media - £1.401bn. Philip Day - fashion - £1.2bn. The Clark family - of the Arnold Clark car dealership - £1.178bn. Jim Mellon - property and finance - £1.1bn. Jim McColl, of Clyde Blowers - £1.1bn. I wonder if any of them post on P&B 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derry Alli Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 2 minutes ago, Gordon EF said: Everywhere..... UBI So we should spend our earnings on services provided by a person who, in turn, then gives that money back to us? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon EF Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Just now, sjc said: I wasn't suggesting that billionaires have it tough! Some become hugely successful and wealthy due to continually developing much sought after products. Should this be discouraged? Also, as asked below, how do you propose this is redistributed? Why and how would this discourage people from either developing products or services or from becoming personally richer? We're talking about billionaires. Can you see any scenario in which someone thinks, "I could make £500m by working really hard, developing this product and growing my business.... but... only £500m... f**k it. Harldy worth bothering my arse"? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon EF Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Dele said: So we should spend our earnings on services provided by a person who, in turn, then gives that money back to us? I wasn't being entirely serious, But arguing against increasing tax take because you can't think what to do with it.... Edited October 31, 2019 by Gordon EF 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 4 minutes ago, Gordon EF said: Everywhere..... UBI The effect on inflation would cancel out any benefit of UBI. You be better off providing services that people need that artificially giving them monetary wealth. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgecutter Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Philanthropy rarely seems to solve the world's ills. Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give him a fishing rod and he'll break it for firewood...or swap it for a fish. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon EF Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 6 minutes ago, Dele said: So we should spend our earnings on services provided by a person who, in turn, then gives that money back to us? Also, that's exactly what peopel do right now. It's just a question of extent. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
54_and_counting Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 27 minutes ago, Ross. said: Inherited wealth should be the target. Why? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross. Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 19 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said: Hmmm. Over a certain point it becomes damaging to the wider economy. I'd support 100% taxation on inheritance over a limit of say, £3m. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 9 minutes ago, ICTChris said: Here are Scotland's billionaires Glenn Gordon and family - spirits - £2.882bn. Sir Ian Wood and family - oil services and fishing - £1.763bn. Mohamed Al Fayed and family - retailing - £1.7bn. John Shaw and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw - pharmaceuticals - £1.689bn Mahdi al-Tajir - metals, oil and Highland Spring water - £1.66bn Trond Mohn and Marit Mohn Westlake and family - industry - £1.602bn Thomson family - media - £1.401bn. Philip Day - fashion - £1.2bn. The Clark family - of the Arnold Clark car dealership - £1.178bn. Jim Mellon - property and finance - £1.1bn. Jim McColl, of Clyde Blowers - £1.1bn. I wonder if any of them post on P&B 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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