In the Balance

Is Inherited Wealth a Curse?


Listen Later

Does passing down large amounts of money within families drive the gap between rich and poor even wider? It seems that some of the world's richest people, like Bill Gates, recognised this and have pledged to give away most, if not all, of their wealth to good causes rather than their children. Is inherited wealth a curse, both on a personal and macro-economic level? Should we tax it much more heavily, or even ban inheritance altogether? Manuela Saragosa is joined by a global panel of guests to unpick the issues on intergenerational fairness.

Contributors: Barbara Blouin, founder of The Inheritance Project, Karen Rowlingson Professor of Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, Edward Wolff, Professor of Economics at New York University and Jørgen Næsje, State Secretary in Norway's Finance Ministry.

(Picture: College Republicans Rally For Repeal Of Estate Tax. Washington DC June 2006. Credit: Getty Imgages)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

In the BalanceBy BBC World Service

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

5 ratings


More shows like In the Balance

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,721 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,055 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,538 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,797 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,829 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,089 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,960 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

763 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,215 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

769 Listeners