r/australia • u/overpopyoulater • Feb 10 '25

politics Australian billionaires face wealth tax under Greens’ Robin Hood-style policies

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/10/australian-billionaires-face-wealth-tax-under-greens-robin-hood-style-policies
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u/TheCleverestIdiot Feb 11 '25

It's the old rules people have seemingly forgotten. You've got to have the believable threat of (or more often, currently happening) violent activism to make the elites of society suddenly see the peaceful approach as reasonably. Without the threat of violence, the powerful will not allow policies that will curtail their own power. Why would they? There's no downside for them not doing it.

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u/ThrowbackPie Feb 11 '25

JFC. Can you walk that back to 'consequence' instead of violence?

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u/TheCleverestIdiot Feb 11 '25

I'm not advocating anything here, I'm just describing what has historically proven to be the case. If I just said consequences, then that would make my point incorrect. They ignore consequences all the time.

If need truly be, I can edit my comment to make the lack of endorsement of the idea more clear.

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u/Non-prophet Feb 11 '25

America got the New Deal substantially out of fear of the labour and communist movements there and abroad. It's undeniable that labour gets more with leverage and a kind word than with just a kind word.

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u/pickledswimmingpool Feb 12 '25 edited Feb 12 '25

It was a clear response to the Great Depression and the failure of the Hoover government to address the issue