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Dutch philosopher Ingrid Robeyn’s thoughts on an upper limit for personal salaries are interesting. In her book “Limitarianism – The Case Against Extreme Wealth”, she argues that an upper limit should be set for personal income. She suggests that such a limit could be 10 million euros. This is unlikely to affect most people, but it will affect the very richest. She believes that income above this limit must be taxed at 100%. Besides being a renowned philosopher, she also holds a PhD in economics.

Maximum salary and minimum salary

Ingrid Robeyns says that we are discussing the minimum wage. But it begs the question of why we don’t discuss maximum salary. She points out that in recent decades the differences between the world’s large population and the very richest have increased. This is a trend that is intensifying. While 60% of the world’s population has become poorer since 2020, the 5 richest have more than doubled their wealth. This is stated in the Oxham International report.

Actually, she talks about two boundaries. One is a political limit where an upper limit is set for personal income. The second boundary is a moral boundary where the people say what that boundary should be.

Arguments against Ingrid Robeyn’s thoughts

According to Ingrid Robeyns, the reason why such thoughts have not received much attention is that the rich are “extremely smart in framing that set of policies as non-ideological” – not least through the media organizations they buy. She says among other things:

if citizens would understand it better – that we really can choose between many different economic system options – then we can start a real debate

This is the debate she is calling for. She also points out that the world’s richest people gather in Davos once a year. Coming there in their private jets to show off their wealth. Discussing topics such as solving global poverty. They are in Davos with an approach to the problems that is based on fundamental thinking. Those who try to argue like her for a different distribution of wealth are met with words like envy.

Sources:

‘No one should have more than €10m’: the author of Limitarianism on why the super-rich need to level down radically | Economics | The Guardian

World’s five richest men double their money as poorest get poorer | Inequality | The Guardian

Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth: Robeyns, Ingrid: 9781662601842: Amazon.com: Books