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Rutger Bregman

@rcbregman • 373,146 subscribers

Historian. Books: 'Utopia for Realists' (2014), 'Humankind' (2020) and 'Moral Ambition' (2025). Co-founder of The School for Moral Ambition.

Shorts

Roosevelt called it what it is: to see a problem and do nothing? That’s called whining. If Democrats want to win, they need more than outrage and moral purity. They need a plan and a broad coalition. An agenda of abundance, patriotism and economic populism. Remember: after the first Gilded Age came the Progressive Era. It could happen again.

Roosevelt called it what it is: to see a problem and do nothing? That’s called whining. If Democrats want to win, they need more than outrage and moral purity. They need a plan and a broad coalition. An agenda of abundance, patriotism and economic populism. Remember: after the first Gilded Age came the Progressive Era. It could happen again.

16,166 Aufrufe

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It's that magical time of year when private jets descend on a Swiss mountain village to discuss climate change and poverty! Anyway, here's my annual reminder. I'll stop posting this when they stop avoiding the real issue: their own massive tax avoidance 💰

It's that magical time of year when private jets descend on a Swiss mountain village to discuss climate change and poverty! Anyway, here's my annual reminder. I'll stop posting this when they stop avoiding the real issue: their own massive tax avoidance 💰

1,140,662 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten

I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture. They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1

I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture. They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1

1,172,130 Aufrufe • vor 6 Monaten

Absolutely incredible footage from today, the biggest protest of the 21st century in The Netherlands. 150,000 people in The Hague to protest against the genocide in Palestine.

Absolutely incredible footage from today, the biggest protest of the 21st century in The Netherlands. 150,000 people in The Hague to protest against the genocide in Palestine.

1,617,407 Aufrufe • vor 11 Monaten

1/ Less than 24 hours before broadcast, the BBC called me and said: we're editing a line out of your lecture. The line? That Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history.

1/ Less than 24 hours before broadcast, the BBC called me and said: we're editing a line out of your lecture. The line? That Donald Trump is the most openly corrupt president in American history.

233,053 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat

Sometimes you get a few minutes on live TV with a billionaire. I tried to make them count! 😅

Sometimes you get a few minutes on live TV with a billionaire. I tried to make them count! 😅

525,790 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten

One of the most effective things you can do right now to fight Trump and ICE is to cancel your ChatGPT subscription.

One of the most effective things you can do right now to fight Trump and ICE is to cancel your ChatGPT subscription.

343,619 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten

Billionaires pay about half as much in taxes as everyone else. So why do we let them? Simple: because they have better lobbyists than us. But it doesn’t have to be this way. History tells us that we can actually win this fight. When the income tax was first proposed, they predicted catastrophe. Same arguments, same “bullshit bingo” we hear today – and democracy still prevailed. It can again. That’s why I’m excited to team up with Gabriel Zucman to ensure it does.

Billionaires pay about half as much in taxes as everyone else. So why do we let them? Simple: because they have better lobbyists than us. But it doesn’t have to be this way. History tells us that we can actually win this fight. When the income tax was first proposed, they predicted catastrophe. Same arguments, same “bullshit bingo” we hear today – and democracy still prevailed. It can again. That’s why I’m excited to team up with Gabriel Zucman to ensure it does.

24,955 Aufrufe • vor 10 Tagen

Laughter and song, the bonds of friendship, the joy of play, the wonder of art, the beauty of nature, the gift of attention – tech oligarchs like Peter Thiel, Zuckerberg and Musk don't care for ANY of it. They see humanity as redundant, as useless, as slop, and would rather replace all of it with AI.

Laughter and song, the bonds of friendship, the joy of play, the wonder of art, the beauty of nature, the gift of attention – tech oligarchs like Peter Thiel, Zuckerberg and Musk don't care for ANY of it. They see humanity as redundant, as useless, as slop, and would rather replace all of it with AI.

145,346 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten

Dutch public television on Trump, Vance, Zelensky and "Have you even said 'thank you'?" Excellent summary of the current geopolitical situation.

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Dutch public television on Trump, Vance, Zelensky and "Have you even said 'thank you'?" Excellent summary of the current geopolitical situation.

625,782 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

Just before Trump’s re-election, I attended a private tech conference in Silicon Valley. Over dinner, the conversation was dominated by a tech bro who spoke in ways that reminded me of 1930s fascists like Mussolini. I pointed this out to him, and he replied, without irony: “Yeah, I think we should get a little fascy.”

Just before Trump’s re-election, I attended a private tech conference in Silicon Valley. Over dinner, the conversation was dominated by a tech bro who spoke in ways that reminded me of 1930s fascists like Mussolini. I pointed this out to him, and he replied, without irony: “Yeah, I think we should get a little fascy.”

169,963 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten

Peter Thiel literally wrote that freedom and democracy are not 'compatible' and that regulating Big Tech is the work of the 'anti-Christ'. Stop treating this as metaphor. When billionaires tell you they want to end democracy, take them seriously.

Peter Thiel literally wrote that freedom and democracy are not 'compatible' and that regulating Big Tech is the work of the 'anti-Christ'. Stop treating this as metaphor. When billionaires tell you they want to end democracy, take them seriously.

114,401 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten

Over 80% of people want a wealth tax for billionaires. Of course they’re resisting with their army of lawyers and lobbyists, but we’re building ours. I’m so excited to be teaming up with Gabriel Zucman 👉

Over 80% of people want a wealth tax for billionaires. Of course they’re resisting with their army of lawyers and lobbyists, but we’re building ours. I’m so excited to be teaming up with Gabriel Zucman 👉

78,453 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat

Very excited to see this: a National Geographic documentary about one of the biggest frauds in social science—the Stanford Prison Experiment. Based on all the new evidence. Thibault Le Texier in particular deserves major credit for his work uncovering the truth.

Very excited to see this: a National Geographic documentary about one of the biggest frauds in social science—the Stanford Prison Experiment. Based on all the new evidence. Thibault Le Texier in particular deserves major credit for his work uncovering the truth.

573,389 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

Last year, 52% of Harvard graduates went into finance, consulting or (big) tech. I was invited by students to talk about this waste of talent, and what we can do about it. Link in next tweet →

Last year, 52% of Harvard graduates went into finance, consulting or (big) tech. I was invited by students to talk about this waste of talent, and what we can do about it. Link in next tweet →

37,889 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat

So I hear Tucker Carlson, arguably the greatest hypocrite on the planet, is trying to make his comeback. Perhaps a good time to re-up this.

So I hear Tucker Carlson, arguably the greatest hypocrite on the planet, is trying to make his comeback. Perhaps a good time to re-up this.

479,853 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

The BBC just remade Lord of the Flies — the story that taught generations humans are fundamentally savage. But when it ACTUALLY happened in real life? Six boys shipwrecked for over a year built a functioning society.

The BBC just remade Lord of the Flies — the story that taught generations humans are fundamentally savage. But when it ACTUALLY happened in real life? Six boys shipwrecked for over a year built a functioning society.

81,309 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten

If you work at OpenAI, and you find it uncomfortable to read all this on the sidewalks in front of your office, but you STILL don’t act — then you've accepted you’re on the wrong side of history. It's as simple as that.

If you work at OpenAI, and you find it uncomfortable to read all this on the sidewalks in front of your office, but you STILL don’t act — then you've accepted you’re on the wrong side of history. It's as simple as that.

66,710 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten

For the first time in history, billionaires have a lower effective tax rate than working-class Americans. It’s time to tax those billionaires. And no, that’s not communism, that’s common sense.

For the first time in history, billionaires have a lower effective tax rate than working-class Americans. It’s time to tax those billionaires. And no, that’s not communism, that’s common sense.

392,694 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren

I’m done with the online left (and here’s why). We’re in a fight for democracy, and too many are busy scoring points instead of building power.

I’m done with the online left (and here’s why). We’re in a fight for democracy, and too many are busy scoring points instead of building power.

213,477 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

We pay you to quit your job and spend 7 months fighting the tobacco industry, transforming the food system, or making the superrich pay their fair share in taxes. 37 fellowships. US, Canada, Europe, Kenya. Applications close April 27th.

We pay you to quit your job and spend 7 months fighting the tobacco industry, transforming the food system, or making the superrich pay their fair share in taxes. 37 fellowships. US, Canada, Europe, Kenya. Applications close April 27th.

48,394 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten