The main force pushing toward reduction in inequality has always been the diffusion of knowledge and the diffusion of education. Thomas Piketty diffusioneducationforce Change image and share on social
I was born too late to have any temptation with communism, or at least Soviet-type communism. Travelling in Eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet Union, you clearly don't want to defend a system that would have empty shops and a totalitarian regime and internal passports. Thomas Piketty bearcommunismdefend share on social
When you are an entrepreneur, you have founded your own firm, it is so easy to find that you exist - you are the main shareholder of your company; it is very easy to look at the stock market position of your company to know how rich you are. Thomas Piketty companyeasyentrepreneur share on social
There is a fundamentalist belief by capitalists that capital will save the world, and it just isn't so. Thomas Piketty beliefcapitalcapitalist Change image and share on social
You need some inequality to grow... but extreme inequality is not only useless but can be harmful to growth because it reduces mobility and can lead to political capture of our democratic institutions. Thomas Piketty capturedemocraticextreme share on social
I am afraid that if you don't find peaceful domestic solutions to our inequality and social problems, then it's always tempting to find other people responsible for our problems. Thomas Piketty afraiddomesticfind Change image and share on social
The United States could transform its property tax system into a progressive tax on net worth without asking permission to the rest of the world. Thomas Piketty netpermissionprogressive Change image and share on social
Economists have put themselves in a position where what they are doing is supposed to be impossible to understand for outsiders, so they don't even talk - sometimes not even with their girlfriend or boyfriend or friends - about what they are doing. Thomas Piketty boyfriendeconomistfriend share on social
When inequality gets too extreme, then it becomes useless for growth, and it can even become bad because it tends to lead to high perpetuation of inequality over time and low mobility. Thomas Piketty badextremegrowth Change image and share on social
My premise is not to tax to destroy the wealth of the wealthy; it's to increase the wealth of the bottom and the middle class. Thomas Piketty bottomclassdestroy Change image and share on social
