Twelve years ago, Nobel laureate in economics Joseph Stiglitz authored a groundbreaking book addressing the perils of inequality, a work that garnered attention in a notable piece in The Economist https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2012/06/23/an-ordinary-joe.
Since then, the discourse surrounding this issue has evolved, with a shift towards more explicit language and concrete proposals. For instance, in a recent book, a professor at the University of Utrecht advocated for an ethical ceiling on individual wealth of 10 million euros https://19-pacheco-torgal-19.blogspot.com/2024/02/utrecht-university-10-million-euro.html
Similarly, an associate professor at King's University College of Western University has argued for abolishing billionaires through significantly progressive tax measures https://www.amazon.com/Against-Inequality-Practical-Abolishing-Superrich/dp/0197670407
However, there's one final stride required to galvanize public support for the criminalization and imprisonment of the super-rich. Their offense is not merely the obscene accumulation of wealth, but rather a form of manslaughter. Take, for instance, the shocking statistic that the top 20 wealthiest individuals emit carbon at a rate 8000 times higher than the poorest billion.This surplus carbon directly contributes to the loss of countless lives, a grim reality unsurprising to those acquainted with the issue. For further insights, please consult the article titled "Quantifying Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Human Deaths to Guide Energy Policy" https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/16/6074
PS - It was precisely the foundational revelation of the aforementioned study, conducted by researchers from Canada and Austria, that brings to light a stark truth: for every 1000 tonnes of fossil carbon burned, one life is lost - which led me to assert that academics have a moral obligation to ensure that they are not implicated in the loss of any human life https://19-pacheco-torgal-19.blogspot.com/2024/02/moral-obligations-of-university.html
