Rutger Bregman tells Davos to talk about tax: 'This is not rocket science'

On his first visit to Davos, Rutger Bregman dismisses 'stupid philanthropy schemes', saying the real issue that needs tackling is tax avoidance. 'We can invite Bono once more but come on we've got to be talking about taxes ... all the rest is bullshit in my opinion,' he says. The Dutch historian feels like he’s ‘at a firefighters conference and no one’s allowed to speak about water’

The Guardian YouTube network:

[FilNovak]

Good man! Give him a medal! "1, 500 jets have flown in here to hear David Attenborough speak about how we're wrecking the planet". The quote of the year so far!

[rebelrebel]

My hero of the day. Proud to be Dutch on days like these. Goed gedaan jochie!!!

[neonennui]

HAHA!! He unmasked those hypocrites by simply telling it as it is!!!

[pippoespera]

We know tax avoidance is the most important issue. Every rich guy knows how to avoid taxes. Philantrophy is just one of them, tax heavens are almost everywhere. Banks promote this all the time to its rich customers. Bussiness as usual. That is why rich people looking for answers to inequality is a joke. Almost every rich guy there avoids taxes, through philantrophy, tax heavens, accounting schemes.

[Memento_Mori_Music]

The dignity of a job. Hahahahaha!

“I’m working 2 minimum wage jobs; I live paycheck to paycheck; never travel and hardly ever go out; but thank god for my boring and meaningless job where my soul and dreams get crushed on a daily basis!”

What people actually want is a job that pays well; not just enough to get by and preferably a meaningful one.

But yeah ... what do I even expect from Mr. Let’s-Not-Talk-About-Taxes ...

[robsmith]

He was absolutely right. He was asking all the right questions. Truth is uncomfortable for some to hear.

[Telluwide]

Yahoo's former CEO, a great example of another out of touch elitist...Him and Michael Dell should have a debate with Rutger Bregman. Davos should title it "How out of touch are we?"

[jvhee]

"The dignity of a job" is what they like to talk about forgetting that they are the reason why a lot of jobs are not dignified. If there's so much dignity in a job, then why do rich folks not have one?

[Tairneanach]

There's not much dignity in having a job that doesn't pay enough to feed a family and keep a roof over their house. And that's on top of issues like the one mentioned here where workers aren't allowed the dignity of a freaking toilet break.

[sbuckle]

I wonder why Bono didn't have enough courage to say this. Bono is a hypocrit.

[davefroman]

The "Dignity of a Where the hell do you dignity from enslavement for sustenance?

[ingemarsmith]

I believe the rich know that there HAS to be significant reforms. And fast. This guy wasn't invited by accident. Come on now. Just think about it for a minute.

[patrickcorrea]

Listen to the rich guy say " I know what people want" And he has those people in front of him. And they are telling him they want to talk about taxes. lol

[chshet]

Ken goldman doesn't want to talk about taxes. Why would that be.. 😂

[arturs]

Still nothing changed. Tax avoidance are called philanthropist 🤦‍♂️

[RDfhjks]

That man is rude, out of place and too Love It!!!!

[anishapoorwakispotta]

*total awkward silence when he was speaking*

[stevetanner]

Where at a firefighter convention and nobody is talking about water

[legel]

ACCOUNTING COMPANIES NEED TO BE REGULATED, just like BANKS. They explicitly provide services to help companies minimize their tax bill by transferring profits via complex company structures to the lowest possible tax domicile.

[rebelrebel]

If you are familiar with Dutch politics you would also know we have a rather large number of parties from the Left to the Right side of the political spectrum. Truly democratic but it also means that the people who make up my gouvernment are not always my personal choice. Not all Americans like Trump... Not all Russians like Putin. Same here but with more flavors... meaning they do not always represent my believes even tho they're chosen by the majority.