Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth

Nobody deserves to be a millionaire, according to Richard Wilkinson, and Ingrid Robeyns offers a clear alternative: limitarianism, which places a hard limit on the wealth that any one person can accumulate. This is the answer to the problems posed by neoliberal capitalism and the opportunity for a vastly better world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 01 February 2024
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

The best case I've read for putting an upper limit on the accumulation of wealth

Richard Wilkinson, in his book "The Accumulation of Wealth," argues that no one deserves to be a millionaire. Not even you. We all notice when the poor get poorer, with more rough sleepers and food bank queues growing. However, if the rich become richer, there is not much to see in public, and daily life for most of us doesn't change immediately.

In this astonishing and eye-opening intervention, world-leading philosopher and economist Ingrid Robeyns exposes the true extent of our wealth problem, which has spent the past fifty years silently spiraling out of control. Robeyns examines extreme wealth in moral, political, economic, social, environmental, and psychological terms and demonstrates that it is not only unjustifiable but also harmful to us all, including the rich.

Instead of our current system, Robeyns offers a breathtakingly clear alternative: limitarianism. Limitarianism is the idea of placing a hard limit on the wealth that any one person can accumulate. This would address many of the problems posed by neoliberal capitalism and provide an opportunity for a vastly better world.

Robeyns argues that nobody deserves to be a millionaire, as it is not a fair or sustainable way of distributing resources. She believes that limiting wealth accumulation would help to reduce inequality, promote social mobility, and protect the environment.

Furthermore, Robeyns suggests that implementing limitarianism would require a shift in our societal values and priorities. We would need to prioritize the well-being of all individuals and the planet over the pursuit of personal wealth. This would involve a redistribution of resources, such as increasing taxes on the wealthy and investing in education, healthcare, and social welfare programs.

In conclusion, Richard Wilkinson's book "The Accumulation of Wealth" provides a compelling case for putting an upper limit on the accumulation of wealth. Ingrid Robeyns's intervention exposes the true extent of our wealth problem and offers a clear alternative: limitarianism. Limitarianism would limit wealth accumulation, reduce inequality, promote social mobility, and protect the environment. Implementing limitarianism would require a shift in our societal values and priorities, prioritizing the well-being of all individuals and the planet over the pursuit of personal wealth.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 164 x 244 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780241578193