Marlene Engelhorn says that when she inherited her grandmother’s multimillion-dollar fortune in 2022, she “wanted to be happy about it.”

“And I couldn’t be,” the Austrian heiress told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. “I was angry instead … because I knew it was really unfair, and there was no reason for me to get this that I could really justify.”

Engelhorn has long campaigned for greater taxes on the wealthy in Austria, including an inheritance tax. But since the government won’t redistribute her wealth for her, she says she’s asking the people do it.

Engelhorn is giving €25 million ($36.5 million Cdn) — which she says is the vast majority of her inheritance — to a committee of Austrian residents tasked with using it to fight wealth inequality.

“I am only wealthy because I was born in a rich family. And I think in a democratic society of the 21st century, birth should not be the one thing that determines whether or not you’re gonna get to lead a very good life,” Engelhorn said.

  • PugJesus@kbin.social
    114·
    5 months ago

    I like how you people that has access to internet and lives in countries that nourishes themself from the rest of the world think of yourself as part of the base of society. When the bells start ringing we are the second in line to be purged.

    Imagine being this brainrotted.

    • dezmd@lemmy.worldEnglish
      47·
      5 months ago

      Imagine not realizing even you might be one of the baddies.

      Enlightenments, self awareness, public engagement, and compassion for others, does not make any of us exceptions when you zoom out far enough.

      Food, internet, air conditioning. You might not be rich, but you are to someone.

      • PugJesus@kbin.social
        92·
        5 months ago

        The majority of the world has internet access, dumbass.

        Imagine going from “Workers of the world unite!” to “Actually, YOU workers are too Western, you deserve the noose!”