DAVOS: More than 360 affluent individuals, including actor Mark Ruffalo and musician Brian Eno, have signed an open letter urging governments worldwide to impose higher taxes on millionaires and billionaires. The letter, addressed to world leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, seeks to curb the influence of extreme wealth on politics, media, and society.
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Titled ‘Time to Win’, the letter claims that a small group of global oligarchs has “bought up our democracies, taken over our governments, gagged the freedom of our media, placed a stranglehold on technology and innovation, deepened poverty and social exclusion, and accelerated the breakdown of our planet.”
“We are worn out watching this happen,” the signatories wrote. “We want our democracies back. We want our communities back. We want our future back.” They called for the adoption of a simple legislative tool already available: higher taxes on the super-rich.
Ruffalo, in a statement on the campaign’s website, said taxing wealthy people like himself is essential to restoring democracy. “If leaders at Davos are serious about the threat to democracy and the rule of law, they must get serious about combating extreme wealth concentration,” he said. Eno added, “It’s impossible to ignore the brutal levels of economic inequality people are living with, and it’s only getting worse.”
Both Ruffalo and Eno have long been vocal on social justice issues. Last year, Ruffalo joined the Filmworkers for Palestine boycott movement and recently protested against U.S. immigration policies at the Golden Globes. Eno organised the Together for Palestine fundraising concert in London, raising $2 million for organisations supporting Palestinians, and joined calls for the release of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti from Israeli detention.
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The Time to Win initiative highlights a growing global debate over wealth inequality, corporate influence, and the role of taxation in promoting fairer societies. By targeting extreme wealth, the letter’s signatories aim to reduce oligarchic control over political and economic systems and give citizens greater power in shaping their communities.