The inaction of governments in the face of inequalities that have worsened considerably since the pandemic is “shocking”, denounces the NGO Oxfam in a report published this Tuesday.
They show that “the poorest and most vulnerable have been hit the hardest by the disease and its profound economic repercussions,” according to a statement accompanying the report.
The 2022 version of the Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index (ERI, which measures the efforts of different countries around the world), which is published every two years, “clearly shows that most governments have not taken concrete measures of great scope to mitigate this dangerous rise in inequality.
Worse yet: “while this is the worst health emergency the world has seen in a century, half of low- and middle-income countries have reduced their spending on health during the pandemic,” and 70% their spending on education Oxfam denounces.
France bad student
Furthermore, “despite huge fiscal deficits and huge increases in wealth for the wealthiest people and businesses during the pandemic, 143 of 161 countries have not raised taxes on the wealthiest people and 11 countries have even cut taxes on the wealthiest people. the most advantaged”, Oxfam continues.
Norway, the best student, leads the ranking, followed by Germany, Australia, Belgium and Canada. France has dropped five places in two years to 12th place, after lowering corporate tax rates and cutting its wealth tax in 2019, ahead of Luxembourg and the UK.
The highest ranked countries are all developed countries, which have more resources to devote to public policies to reduce inequality, argues Oxfam.
The countries showing the greatest deterioration include the Seychelles and the Hong Kong territory of China. “Eight of the ten worst-deteriorating countries experienced a collapse in tax revenue, mainly due to the pandemic,” Oxfam notes.
Raise taxes for the rich
The NGO recommends in particular that governments “increase social spending, not reduce it”, “protect the rights of workers and provide them with wages that allow them to live” above the poverty line.
“More than anything, they must significantly increase the taxes paid by the richest”, companies and individuals, concludes Oxfam.
The United Kingdom has thus been singled out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the latest measures presented by the conservative government of Liz Truss, accused of aggravating inequalities through tax cuts aimed at the richest.
Last week, the head of Shell called for higher taxes on energy companies as a solution to the cost-of-living crisis caused by rising energy costs since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Source: BFM TV
