TED talks: Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming – Nick Hanauer

In this week’s featured TED talk Nick Hanauer – entrepreneur, venture capitalist and self-described “obscenely rewarded” plutocrat – warns of the dangers of wealth inequality.

If the divide between the richest and the poorest keeps growing at its current rate, Hanauer warns, then society will soon reach inequality levels not seen since pre-revolution 18^th century France.

“I have a message for my fellow plutocrats, and zillionaires and anyone who lives in a gated bubble world: wake up. Wake up. It cannot last,” he says. 

“If we cannot do something to fix the glaring economic inequities in our society, the pitchforks will come for us.

“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”

But, Hanauer continues, there is a convincing business case for tackling inequality too.

To watch this video on the TED website, click here. 

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Further reading:

TED talks: your top five featured TED Talks

TED talks: Stop the Rush! Why entrepreneurs should take the time to succeed – Phyllis Pierce

TED talks: Is ‘responsible investor’ an oxymoron? – Andrew Canter

TED talks: Which country does the most good for the world? – Simon Anholt

TED talks: Investing as if the future matters – Graham Sinclair