Over 66% of people in large economies seeking tax on wealthy: Survey

Bengaluru: A survey conducted in 22 countries, including India and 16 other G20 countries, has shown that more than one third of the people seeking tax on the rich along with prioritisation of health and wellbeing of people and nature over the profit.

The survey, part of the Global Report by Ipsos, Earth4All and the Global Commons Alliance was taken up ahead of a G20 meeting where wealth tax is on the agenda.

The survey interviewed a total of 22,000 people, 1,000 from each country. 

The researchers weighted data from each country to represent the national population on age, gender, region and working status.

As many as 71% of the respondents in G20 member countries agreed that people and companies that pollute the environment, for example by causing greenhouse gas emissions, should pay higher taxes.

The money generated should be shared out among the people and companies who pollute less.

Support for a wealth tax on wealthy people is highest in Indonesia (86%), Turkey (78%), the UK (77%) and India (74%). Support is lowest in Saudi Arabia (54%), and Argentina (54%), but still over half the respondents surveyed.

In the United States, France and Germany around two in three of those surveyed support a wealth tax on wealthy people (67%, 67% and 68% respectively).

In India, a whopping  78% of the respondents also wanted large businesses to pay higher rates of taxes. About 77% said those who pollute should pay for the same. At the same time, 71% supported that all people in the country should get minimum regular income each month from the government regardless of employment.

Owen Gaffney, co-lead of the Earth4All initiative, stated, “The message to politicians could not be clearer. The vast majority of people we surveyed in the world’s largest economies believe major immediate action is needed this decade to tackle climate change and protect nature. At the same time many feel the economy is not working for them and want political and economic reform. It’s possible this may well help explain the rise in populist leaders.”

About 71% in the world and 68% of the Indian respondents said the world needs to take major action "immediately, within the next decade" to reduce carbon emissions while another 22% said action should be taken within the next 20 to 30 years. About 2% said no action was required and 3% said they don't know.

The survey also asked respondents whether they were optimistic or pessimistic about their future. On average, 62% in 18 G20 countries surveyed were optimistic about their own future. However, only 44% feel positive about their country’s future, while 38% are optimistic about the future of the world.

Participants in emerging economies like Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, and India, along with those in China and Saudi Arabia are the most optimistic while participants in Europe and those in Japan and South Korea tend to be less optimistic.

Jane Madgwick, Executive Director at the Global Commons Alliance said science demands a giant leap to address the planetary crisis, climate change and to protect nature.