Rich American businessman wearing a tuxedo and top hat while holding two bags of money, 1920. (Illustration by GraphicaArtis/Getty Images)
Jan 15, 2018
In order to solve the most pressing problems now facing humanity, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday called for the rise of a new and international progressive movement that would tackle "structural inequality both between and within nations" by wrenching power from the world's corporate and monied elites who now control an unprecedented majorities of global wealth and power.
"Taking on the greed of Wall Street, the power of gigantic multinational corporations and the influence of the global billionaire class is not only the moral thing to do," writes Sanders in a Guardian op-ed, "it is a strategic geopolitical imperative."
"This is what we must do for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the future of our planet."
A familiar narrative from the 2016 U.S. presidential candidate, Sanders argues now is a "pivotal moment in world history," one in which organized people from below must come together in "hope and solidarity" to unseat the global top 1% percent who now, according to Oxfam International, hold more wealth than the bottom 99% combined.
"At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, people all over the world are losing their faith in democracy - government by the people, for the people and of the people," Sanders writes. "They increasingly recognize that the global economy has been rigged to reward those at the top at the expense of everyone else, and they are angry."
In a nod towards how President Donald Trump has found audience and seized political power in such a moment, Sanders says the rise of economic inequality explains much about the billionaire's 2016 victory. "The world," he writes, "is witnessing an alarming rise in authoritarianism and rightwing extremism - which feeds off, exploits and amplifies the resentments of those left behind, and fans the flames of ethnic and racial hatred."
According to Sanders--currently the most popular politician in the U.S.--humanity has at its disposal the ability to "eliminate poverty, increase life expectancy and create an inexpensive and non-polluting global energy system," but that such lofty goals are only achievable if the oligarchy's grip on power is undone.
"This is what we can do if we have the courage to stand together and take on the powerful special interests who simply want more and more for themselves," Sanders concludes. "This is what we must do for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the future of our planet."
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In order to solve the most pressing problems now facing humanity, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday called for the rise of a new and international progressive movement that would tackle "structural inequality both between and within nations" by wrenching power from the world's corporate and monied elites who now control an unprecedented majorities of global wealth and power.
"Taking on the greed of Wall Street, the power of gigantic multinational corporations and the influence of the global billionaire class is not only the moral thing to do," writes Sanders in a Guardian op-ed, "it is a strategic geopolitical imperative."
"This is what we must do for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the future of our planet."
A familiar narrative from the 2016 U.S. presidential candidate, Sanders argues now is a "pivotal moment in world history," one in which organized people from below must come together in "hope and solidarity" to unseat the global top 1% percent who now, according to Oxfam International, hold more wealth than the bottom 99% combined.
"At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, people all over the world are losing their faith in democracy - government by the people, for the people and of the people," Sanders writes. "They increasingly recognize that the global economy has been rigged to reward those at the top at the expense of everyone else, and they are angry."
In a nod towards how President Donald Trump has found audience and seized political power in such a moment, Sanders says the rise of economic inequality explains much about the billionaire's 2016 victory. "The world," he writes, "is witnessing an alarming rise in authoritarianism and rightwing extremism - which feeds off, exploits and amplifies the resentments of those left behind, and fans the flames of ethnic and racial hatred."
According to Sanders--currently the most popular politician in the U.S.--humanity has at its disposal the ability to "eliminate poverty, increase life expectancy and create an inexpensive and non-polluting global energy system," but that such lofty goals are only achievable if the oligarchy's grip on power is undone.
"This is what we can do if we have the courage to stand together and take on the powerful special interests who simply want more and more for themselves," Sanders concludes. "This is what we must do for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the future of our planet."
In order to solve the most pressing problems now facing humanity, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday called for the rise of a new and international progressive movement that would tackle "structural inequality both between and within nations" by wrenching power from the world's corporate and monied elites who now control an unprecedented majorities of global wealth and power.
"Taking on the greed of Wall Street, the power of gigantic multinational corporations and the influence of the global billionaire class is not only the moral thing to do," writes Sanders in a Guardian op-ed, "it is a strategic geopolitical imperative."
"This is what we must do for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the future of our planet."
A familiar narrative from the 2016 U.S. presidential candidate, Sanders argues now is a "pivotal moment in world history," one in which organized people from below must come together in "hope and solidarity" to unseat the global top 1% percent who now, according to Oxfam International, hold more wealth than the bottom 99% combined.
"At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, people all over the world are losing their faith in democracy - government by the people, for the people and of the people," Sanders writes. "They increasingly recognize that the global economy has been rigged to reward those at the top at the expense of everyone else, and they are angry."
In a nod towards how President Donald Trump has found audience and seized political power in such a moment, Sanders says the rise of economic inequality explains much about the billionaire's 2016 victory. "The world," he writes, "is witnessing an alarming rise in authoritarianism and rightwing extremism - which feeds off, exploits and amplifies the resentments of those left behind, and fans the flames of ethnic and racial hatred."
According to Sanders--currently the most popular politician in the U.S.--humanity has at its disposal the ability to "eliminate poverty, increase life expectancy and create an inexpensive and non-polluting global energy system," but that such lofty goals are only achievable if the oligarchy's grip on power is undone.
"This is what we can do if we have the courage to stand together and take on the powerful special interests who simply want more and more for themselves," Sanders concludes. "This is what we must do for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the future of our planet."
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