周五,英國(guó)政府大幅削減了富人稅收,那個(gè)演講,我很難看下去。我當(dāng)時(shí)正在煮粥。我住的豪華公寓坐落在一個(gè)寧?kù)o的碼頭上,我住五樓,可以看到我曾經(jīng)工作過(guò)的倫敦金融區(qū)閃閃發(fā)光的摩天大樓。
我不久前退休了,當(dāng)時(shí)我27歲,所以我已經(jīng)有一段時(shí)間沒(méi)有進(jìn)入 15萬(wàn)英鎊以上的收入階層了,這一階層的稅率剛剛大幅下降,我個(gè)人不會(huì)從針對(duì)超高收入人群的新的、更低的稅率中受益。但作為一個(gè)已經(jīng)退休的千萬(wàn)富翁,我不會(huì)感受到“迷你預(yù)算案”帶來(lái)的痛苦。
那為什么我看不下去呢?
答案就在于我是如何成為千萬(wàn)富翁的。我不是含著金湯匙出生的。事實(shí)上,我年輕的時(shí)候很窮。我住在一條狹小擁擠的街道上,在那個(gè)狹小擁擠的房子里和別人合租了一間小臥室,高速列車(chē)從早到晚把窗框震得嘎嘎響。
我20歲時(shí),贏了一場(chǎng)紙牌游戲。獎(jiǎng)品是成為花旗銀行的交易員。我從2008年開(kāi)始做那份工作,到2011年,我就成了該行全球最會(huì)賺錢(qián)的交易員。我是如何成了該行全球最會(huì)賺錢(qián)的交易員呢?我賭的是日益擴(kuò)大的不平等將永久性摧毀美國(guó)和英國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì),永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)出現(xiàn)有效復(fù)蘇,生活水平將永久性、無(wú)休止地下降。
因此,星期五那天,當(dāng)高桅船只從我的窗前駛過(guò),在清晨太陽(yáng)的照耀下,湖面閃閃發(fā)光時(shí),那個(gè)演講,我很難看下去。這真的很難看下去,因?yàn)槲抑肋@意味著什么。
這意味著又一輪長(zhǎng)達(dá)十年的經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退。這意味著父母不吃早餐或正餐,好讓孩子能吃上飯。這意味著家里很冷。這意味著那些想要學(xué)習(xí)藝術(shù)、文學(xué)或政治的孩子無(wú)法上大學(xué),因?yàn)樗麄冐?fù)擔(dān)不起。當(dāng)然,我不會(huì)經(jīng)歷這些。我的孩子也不會(huì)經(jīng)歷這些。別人家的孩子會(huì)經(jīng)歷這些。他們住的地方離我的公寓只有步行三分鐘的路程。他們就像當(dāng)年的我一樣住在擁擠的小房子里。他們無(wú)法像我一樣看到窗外碼頭上的船只。
不要認(rèn)為這不會(huì)發(fā)生在你的國(guó)家。這有可能發(fā)生。這正在發(fā)生。
不僅僅是在我的國(guó)家——英國(guó),這個(gè)曾經(jīng)是世界上最富有的寒冷灰色島嶼——不平等正在加劇。不僅僅是在這個(gè)島上,富豪的稅率在下降,而超級(jí)富豪通常可以合法避稅。這也發(fā)生在你所處的國(guó)家。
過(guò)去三年見(jiàn)證了世界近代史上不平等急速加劇。從2020年到2021年,美國(guó)億萬(wàn)富翁的財(cái)富平均在短短一年內(nèi)翻了一番。隨后,通貨膨脹飆升,嚴(yán)重影響了最貧困家庭的生活水平,而美國(guó)股市在不到兩年的時(shí)間里上漲了120%。
我有來(lái)自老家的朋友。他們聰明又勤奮。他們上了好大學(xué),有著高薪的好工作。他們和父母住在一起,有些人睡在父母家里的沙發(fā)上。他們這樣做是為了節(jié)省租金,這樣他們就能省下每一分錢(qián)用來(lái)買(mǎi)房子。
英國(guó)的利率現(xiàn)在預(yù)計(jì)會(huì)上升到6%,所以我的朋友們永遠(yuǎn)都買(mǎi)不起那些房子。英國(guó)富豪在過(guò)去三年里平均積累了超過(guò)10萬(wàn)英鎊現(xiàn)金。他們會(huì)把這些錢(qián)留給他們的孩子,這樣他們的孩子就能買(mǎi)房,而我那些勤奮、聰明的朋友永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)擁有房產(chǎn)——他們的子孫也同樣不會(huì)擁有房產(chǎn)。
當(dāng)你大幅削減對(duì)富人的稅收,任由不平等擴(kuò)大時(shí),就會(huì)發(fā)生這種情況。國(guó)家的經(jīng)濟(jì)停滯不前,孩子們吃不上飯,就像當(dāng)年的我一樣,他們?cè)诙齑┲窈竦奶最^毛衣,和家人一起在寒冷的家里凍得瑟瑟發(fā)抖。
與此同時(shí),像我這樣的人會(huì)坐在步行15分鐘路程外的摩天大樓里,賭不平等會(huì)摧毀美國(guó)和英國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì),而那個(gè)人將成為百萬(wàn)富翁。
然后他們會(huì)退休,買(mǎi)一套俯瞰碼頭的豪華公寓,坐在大沙發(fā)上,喝著粥,看看預(yù)算,然后開(kāi)始哭泣。
在這條路上的其他房子里,媽媽省吃儉用,希望孩子們不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)。但是孩子們不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)不了的。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
加里·史蒂文森是一位關(guān)注不平等現(xiàn)象的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家和一位前交易員。你可以在推特(Twitter)和油管(YouTube)上關(guān)注他。
Fortune.com上的評(píng)論文章僅代表作者個(gè)人觀點(diǎn),不代表《財(cái)富》雜志的觀點(diǎn)和立場(chǎng)。
譯者:中慧言-王芳
周五,英國(guó)政府大幅削減了富人稅收,那個(gè)演講,我很難看下去。我當(dāng)時(shí)正在煮粥。我住的豪華公寓坐落在一個(gè)寧?kù)o的碼頭上,我住五樓,可以看到我曾經(jīng)工作過(guò)的倫敦金融區(qū)閃閃發(fā)光的摩天大樓。
我不久前退休了,當(dāng)時(shí)我27歲,所以我已經(jīng)有一段時(shí)間沒(méi)有進(jìn)入 15萬(wàn)英鎊以上的收入階層了,這一階層的稅率剛剛大幅下降,我個(gè)人不會(huì)從針對(duì)超高收入人群的新的、更低的稅率中受益。但作為一個(gè)已經(jīng)退休的千萬(wàn)富翁,我不會(huì)感受到“迷你預(yù)算案”帶來(lái)的痛苦。
那為什么我看不下去呢?
答案就在于我是如何成為千萬(wàn)富翁的。我不是含著金湯匙出生的。事實(shí)上,我年輕的時(shí)候很窮。我住在一條狹小擁擠的街道上,在那個(gè)狹小擁擠的房子里和別人合租了一間小臥室,高速列車(chē)從早到晚把窗框震得嘎嘎響。
我20歲時(shí),贏了一場(chǎng)紙牌游戲。獎(jiǎng)品是成為花旗銀行的交易員。我從2008年開(kāi)始做那份工作,到2011年,我就成了該行全球最會(huì)賺錢(qián)的交易員。我是如何成了該行全球最會(huì)賺錢(qián)的交易員呢?我賭的是日益擴(kuò)大的不平等將永久性摧毀美國(guó)和英國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì),永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)出現(xiàn)有效復(fù)蘇,生活水平將永久性、無(wú)休止地下降。
因此,星期五那天,當(dāng)高桅船只從我的窗前駛過(guò),在清晨太陽(yáng)的照耀下,湖面閃閃發(fā)光時(shí),那個(gè)演講,我很難看下去。這真的很難看下去,因?yàn)槲抑肋@意味著什么。
這意味著又一輪長(zhǎng)達(dá)十年的經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退。這意味著父母不吃早餐或正餐,好讓孩子能吃上飯。這意味著家里很冷。這意味著那些想要學(xué)習(xí)藝術(shù)、文學(xué)或政治的孩子無(wú)法上大學(xué),因?yàn)樗麄冐?fù)擔(dān)不起。當(dāng)然,我不會(huì)經(jīng)歷這些。我的孩子也不會(huì)經(jīng)歷這些。別人家的孩子會(huì)經(jīng)歷這些。他們住的地方離我的公寓只有步行三分鐘的路程。他們就像當(dāng)年的我一樣住在擁擠的小房子里。他們無(wú)法像我一樣看到窗外碼頭上的船只。
不要認(rèn)為這不會(huì)發(fā)生在你的國(guó)家。這有可能發(fā)生。這正在發(fā)生。
不僅僅是在我的國(guó)家——英國(guó),這個(gè)曾經(jīng)是世界上最富有的寒冷灰色島嶼——不平等正在加劇。不僅僅是在這個(gè)島上,富豪的稅率在下降,而超級(jí)富豪通??梢院戏ū芏悺_@也發(fā)生在你所處的國(guó)家。
過(guò)去三年見(jiàn)證了世界近代史上不平等急速加劇。從2020年到2021年,美國(guó)億萬(wàn)富翁的財(cái)富平均在短短一年內(nèi)翻了一番。隨后,通貨膨脹飆升,嚴(yán)重影響了最貧困家庭的生活水平,而美國(guó)股市在不到兩年的時(shí)間里上漲了120%。
我有來(lái)自老家的朋友。他們聰明又勤奮。他們上了好大學(xué),有著高薪的好工作。他們和父母住在一起,有些人睡在父母家里的沙發(fā)上。他們這樣做是為了節(jié)省租金,這樣他們就能省下每一分錢(qián)用來(lái)買(mǎi)房子。
英國(guó)的利率現(xiàn)在預(yù)計(jì)會(huì)上升到6%,所以我的朋友們永遠(yuǎn)都買(mǎi)不起那些房子。英國(guó)富豪在過(guò)去三年里平均積累了超過(guò)10萬(wàn)英鎊現(xiàn)金。他們會(huì)把這些錢(qián)留給他們的孩子,這樣他們的孩子就能買(mǎi)房,而我那些勤奮、聰明的朋友永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)擁有房產(chǎn)——他們的子孫也同樣不會(huì)擁有房產(chǎn)。
當(dāng)你大幅削減對(duì)富人的稅收,任由不平等擴(kuò)大時(shí),就會(huì)發(fā)生這種情況。國(guó)家的經(jīng)濟(jì)停滯不前,孩子們吃不上飯,就像當(dāng)年的我一樣,他們?cè)诙齑┲窈竦奶最^毛衣,和家人一起在寒冷的家里凍得瑟瑟發(fā)抖。
與此同時(shí),像我這樣的人會(huì)坐在步行15分鐘路程外的摩天大樓里,賭不平等會(huì)摧毀美國(guó)和英國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì),而那個(gè)人將成為百萬(wàn)富翁。
然后他們會(huì)退休,買(mǎi)一套俯瞰碼頭的豪華公寓,坐在大沙發(fā)上,喝著粥,看看預(yù)算,然后開(kāi)始哭泣。
在這條路上的其他房子里,媽媽省吃儉用,希望孩子們不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)。但是孩子們不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)不了的。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
加里·史蒂文森是一位關(guān)注不平等現(xiàn)象的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家和一位前交易員。你可以在推特(Twitter)和油管(YouTube)上關(guān)注他。
Fortune.com上的評(píng)論文章僅代表作者個(gè)人觀點(diǎn),不代表《財(cái)富》雜志的觀點(diǎn)和立場(chǎng)。
譯者:中慧言-王芳
It was difficult for me to watch the speech, on Friday, when my government slashed the taxes of the rich. I was cooking porridge, when it happened, on the fifth floor of a block of luxury apartments, perched over a peaceful marina, with a view of the glistening skyscrapers of London’s financial district where I used to work.
I retired a while ago, when I was 27, so it’s been a while since I was in the £150,000+ income bracket that has just seen their taxes collapse and I won’t personally benefit from the new, lower tax rates for super-high-income earners. But as a retired multi-millionaire, it will not be me who feels the pain of this mini-budget.
So why was it difficult for me to watch?
The answer lies in how it was that I came to be a multi-millionaire. I was not always rich. In fact, when I was young, I was very poor. I shared a tiny, crowded bedroom, in a tiny crowded house, in a tiny crowded street, with high-speed trains that rattled the window frames from morning till night.
When I was 20, I won a card game. The prize was a trading job for Citibank. I started that job in 2008, and by 2011 I was the bank’s most profitable trader in the world. I did that by betting that growing inequality would destroy the American and British economies forever, that there would never be a meaningful recovery, and that living standards would fall–forever, interminably.
So it was difficult for me to watch the speech, on Friday, as high-masted boats sailed by my windows, and the morning sun sparkled on the water. It was hard because I know what it means.
It means another decade of a failing economy. It means parents skipping meals, so their children can eat. It means cold homes. It means kids who would like to study art or literature or politics instead not going to university, because they can’t afford it. Not me, of course. Not my kids. Other people’s kids. Kids who live a three-minute walk from my flat. Kids who live in small crowded houses, as I did. Kids who can’t see the boats on the marina, as I can.
Don’t think that this can’t happen in your country. It can happen. It is happening.
It is not just in my country–the United Kingdom, this cold grey island that was once the richest in the world–where inequality is increasing. It is not just on this island where tax rates for the richest are decreasing, and the very richest are often legally able to avoid paying any tax at all. It is happening in your country too.
The last three years have seen the largest and fastest-ever increase in inequality in the recent history of the world. The average American billionaire doubled their wealth in just one year from 2020 to 2021. Then came a huge boom in inflation that savaged the living standards of the poorest families while the American stock market increased by 120% in less than two years.
I have friends who come from where I come from. They are bright and they are hardworking. They went to good universities and they have good jobs with high salaries. They live with their parents and some of them sleep on their mom’s sofas. They do it to save money on rent so that they can save every penny up and buy a house.
Interest rates in the U.K. are now expected to rise to 6%, so my friends will never be able to buy those houses. The average wealthy person in my country has accumulated over £100,000 cash in the last three years. They will give that money to their children and their children will buy the houses instead, and my hardworking, intelligent friends will never own property–nor will their children and grandchildren.
That is what happens when you slash taxation on the richest and allow inequality to explode. Your economies die, and your children don’t eat, and they wear thick jumpers, as I did, in the winter, and they shiver, with their families, in cold homes.
Meanwhile, someone like me will be sitting in a skyscraper, just a 15-minute walk away, betting on it, and that person will become a millionaire.
Then they’ll retire and they’ll buy a luxury apartment, overlooking a marina, and they’ll sit on a huge sofa and eat porridge, and they’ll watch the budget and they’ll cry.
And in the houses down the road, the mom doesn’t eat, and she hopes the children don’t notice. But they do.
Gary Stevenson is an inequality economist and a former trader. You can follow him on Twitter and YouTube.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.