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Donald Trump and Angela Merkel will join 2,500 world leaders, business executives and charity bosses at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland which kicks off on 23 January. High on the agenda once again will be the topic of inequality, and how to reduce the widening gap between the rich and the rest around the world.
The WEF recently warned that the global economy is at risk of another crisis, and that automation and digitalisation are likely to suppress employment and wages for most while boosting wealth at the very top.
But what ideas should the great and good gathered in the Swiss Alps be putting into action? We'd like to know what single step you think governments should prioritise in order to best address the problem of rising inequality. Below we've outlined seven proposals that are most often championed as necessary to tackle the issue – but which of them is most important to you?
- Provide free and high quality education
- Raise the minimum wage
- Raise taxes on the rich
- Fight corruption
- Provide more social protection for the poor
- Stop the influence of the rich on politicians
- Provide jobs for the unemployed
Do you think these ideas are enough, or are there any better ideas to close this wealth gap ? You too can participate and vote for the idea that, you think, works best.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by julian on Saturday January 20 2018, @10:54PM (2 children)
Let's instead close the opportunity gap, and then whatever wealth inequality still results is probably the healthy result of a dynamic society in fair competition. As a liberal that's always been my understanding of our economic goals. It's not about lowering wealth inequality, that's just a lazy short-hand way of explaining it quickly. What we really want is to minimize inequality due to luck, and maximize inequality that's the result of effort and talent while maintaining a reasonable floor below which we don't allow people to fall. Societies that place no lower bounds on poverty end up with crime and other social diseases that have to managed through police, courts, and prisons. So you end up paying for it anyway.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 21 2018, @01:23AM (1 child)
There is no real opportunity gap in the US. Does not matter what walk of life you come from here, if you are the next Einstein you will raise to the top. You can get admission to an Ivy, and your tuition will be all but paid for. If you are just mediocre, then why the fuck should the society elevate you?
BTW wtf is this "Poland has gun control." meme on the bottom of the page? Yes it's some left over Communist law, but by and large if you want private arms for national defense (like Militia type activities) or hunting it's pretty easy to do.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 21 2018, @06:07AM
You seem to be assuming that the US public education system is fit for purpose? Or do you believe that people like Einstein were just born with all the knowledge of the world coded in their genes?
If you're mediocre, you should be allowed to elevate yourself to mediocrity. In American society as it stands, mediocre people born to a rich family are considered "elite", and never have to work a day in their lives, whereas mediocre people from poor families struggle to support themselves through education by working multiple minimum-wage jobs, with little prospect for real societal advancement.