How much is too much money? So far, hardly anyone has wanted to answer the question. The economist and philosopher Ingrid Robeyns calls for wealth to be limited. With two numbers.
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The philosopher Ingrid Robeyns from Utrecht has written a new book that is causing many reactions. In “Limitarism” she argues that no one has the right to be excessively rich. She argues that no one deserves to be extremely rich because financial wealth is often based on luck, such as being born into a wealthy family or having a successful business idea. Robeyns further explains that the “limitarism” school of thought she founded calls for a cap on personal wealth to prevent social harm and the undermining of democracy. She proposes two caps: an “ethical cap” of one million euros, beyond which she believes that additional money does not improve the quality of life, and a “political cap” of ten million euros, beyond which she believes that wealth causes harm and should not be allowed in society.
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Wooden floors, kitchen island, view of a green garden and brick buildings. The philosopher Ingrid Robeyns welcomes us to her house in Utrecht and presents a typical Dutch middle-class life. Your book “Limitarism” seems to have hit a nerve. She has already given 60 interviews, she says and laughs, but she is slowly starting to be unable to do any more.
TIME ONLINE: Ms. Robeyns, you say that no one deserves to be rich.