Bashing the rich has become trendy. Last night, the Spectator hosted a debate at the Guildhall School of Drama on whether the rich have contributed their fair share to society, or if we should ramp up wealth taxes. It’s a very emotive topic and each of the speakers made a solid case for and against the motion: politicians should leave the wealthy alone — they already contribute more than their fair share.
Proposing the motion, Spectator editor Fraser Nelson described how London is a city ‘shaped by the super rich,’ pointing out the number of places that serve a £20 vodka martini. But Fraser argued that society needs these wealthy people and taxing them more isn’t the best way to get money out of them. 80 per cent of those on Britain’s rich list are self-made, which shows that Britain is a country that rewards wealth creators. He encouraged the audience to ‘vote for the politics of answers, not the politics of anger.’
Author and Guardian columnist Owen Jones was first to speak against the motion, arguing that the thousand richest people in Britain have seen their wealth double in recent years while the poorest have suffered.
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