As Michaela Moser highlighted, this publication aims at contributing to making realistic alternatives come true, by bringing the questions of wealth and inequalities in the broader public debate. “This publication gives credible and realistic recommendations to policy makers, and shows that a better distribution of wealth depends primarily on political will. It does not condemn wealth, but shows the rich possibilities of a fairer wealth distribution”.
Martin Shürz gave a detailed presentation entitled What do we know and do we would want to know? about wealth and inequalities and concluded “Now, after 2 decades of neoliberalism as the only paradigm, economists, institutions, no matter their political tendency, are more and more numerous to acknowledge the dangers of rising inequalities, for economic growth, social cohesion and democracy as a whole”.
Andrew Watt added « There is considerable evidence of the causes and consequences of inequalities amongst a wide range of politicians and academics and the debate is shifting towards a new growth model, based on slow economic growth, high fiscal consolidation, high employment and the reassertion of economic ideas ».
Fintan Farrell, Director of EAPN, added that “indeed, the debate needs to stop talking about scarce resources, because this is false. There is enough for everybody, if we start tackling the question of distribution if a sustainable and equitable manner.”
Green MEP Karima Delli said her party would commit to demand that ‘Wealth Reports from a justice perspective’ are expected to be regularly produced in each European Union country.
Read the summary report of the meeting.
Download the publication in English – French – Estonian