logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
23m 32s

Can we make the super-rich pay more tax?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Rich people are often able to pay little or no tax compared to their wealth because of the way the system works. In recent years, many have called for changes and reforms so that instead of income, wealth is also taxed.

But, wealth taxes are not a new thing. Many argue that they are key for addressing inequality but some say they simply aren’t an effective way of gaining revenue.

Charmaine Cozier asks can we make the super-rich pay more tax?

Producer: Olivia Noon Researcher: Bethan Head

(Activists March In Manhattan NY, calling for a tax on Billionaires. Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images).

Up next
Aug 19
Can Indonesia afford free lunches?
Children in Indonesia are now receiving free school meals — part of a bold new plan by President Prabowo Subianto to tackle malnutrition. Around one in five children in the country are stunted, meaning they are too short for their age. The lunch programme is central to Prabowo’s ... Show More
22m 59s
Aug 12
How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare?
When the war in Ukraine began back in February 2022, the remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle or drone as its commonly known, was peripheral to the conflict. But three years on, the drone in all its shapes and sizes has taken on a central role in this battle, in the air, on ... Show More
22m 59s
Aug 5
What does Syria’s recent conflict tell us about al-Sharaa’s presidency?
In July, a brutal highway hijacking in southern Syria sparked tit-for-tat clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters. During the week-long violence, over a thousand people were killed and more than 125,000 displaced. Syrian government forces and Israel also entered the conflict.T ... Show More
22m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2021
Why Billionaires Pay So Little Tax
Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Elon Musk and George Soros are household names. They are among the wealthiest people in the United States.But a recent report by ProPublica has found another thing that separates them from regular Americans citizens: They have paid almost nothing in ... Show More
27m 22s
May 2021
Who Is Inherited Wealth?
If you work hard in the United States, there is no limit to the possibility of what you might achieve. That’s the American Dream. But the reality is that America today increasingly resembles aristocratic societies of the past, which were characterized by little social mobility an ... Show More
47m 23s
Oct 2023
A Few Laws of Getting Rich
Measuring wealth is easy. You just count it up. Measuring some of the downsides of wealth is so much harder and more nuanced. They can be so nuanced and hard to measure that many people won’t even believe they exist. A downside to wealth? How could that possibly be? Let me propos ... Show More
18m 28s
Aug 2022
The Tax Loophole That Won’t Die
Carried interest is a loophole in the United States tax code that has stood out for its egregious unfairness and stunning longevity. Typically, the richest of the rich pay 40 percent tax on their income. The very narrow, select group that benefits from carried interest pays only ... Show More
26m 29s
Apr 2022
Taxes! Let’s get right Intuit.
Weeds co-hosts Dylan Matthews and Dara Lind are joined by Vox policy editor Libby Nelson (@libbyanelson) to talk about some hot! tax! policy! But mostly, why it’s so annoying to file our taxes every year. The three discuss why the tax code is so complicated to begin with; compare ... Show More
52m 22s
Mar 2021
The Government’s Incentives for Entrepreneurs
With a new Administration in the White House, there is a lot of speculation surrounding Biden’s tax plan and the impact it will have on business owners. In today’s episode, the guests discuss how you can take advantage of tax incentives regardless of who is in office.  The rich p ... Show More
43m 53s
Jan 2017
What Rich Really Means
I've spent 20+ years advising billionaires, celebrated CEOs and other titans of industry on how to multiply their income, lift their influence + unleash their highest impact. Here's one of the strange paradoxes I've observed: A number of them are super-wealthy but very poor. --th ... Show More
8m 45s
May 2022
Wealthy People vs. Taxes
It happens every year as tax season comes around in the US. Numerous media outlets publish excoriating investigations of wealthy corporations and individuals that, somehow, don't seem to be paying taxes. And the majority of American citizens believe the system is, in one way or a ... Show More
57m 52s
Dec 2020
What is Real Wealth?
I’ve spent 25 years advising billionaires, celebrated CEOs and other titans of industry on how to multiply their income, lift their influence + unleash their highest impact. Here’s one of the strange paradoxes I’ve observed:  a number of them are super-wealthy but very poor. ...t ... Show More
3m 11s