Online Conference: Toxic Wealth: Why Extreme Wealth Threatens Our Democracy
The Mouvement Ecologique warmly invites you to an online event.
With Sebastian Klein, psychologist, entrepreneur and author of the book “Toxisch reich” (Toxic Wealth).
Tuesday, 17 November 2026, at 6:15 p.m.
“We need to talk – about money, tax justice, billionaires, redistribution and the defence of our democracy” – this is the subtitle of Sebastian Klein’s book, which continues:
“Sebastian Klein knows what it means to be wealthy: the co-founder of Blinkist was once a multimillionaire – before giving away 90% of his fortune. He is convinced that extreme wealth harms our society, as vast fortunes concentrated in the hands of a few are undemocratic, fuel climate change and divide society.
His book shines a spotlight on an issue that politicians have long overlooked: the super-rich and their role in our society. How are wealth and poverty connected? Why are the wealthiest people, of all people, exempt from inheritance tax? Why is income from work taxed so heavily while wealth itself goes untaxed? And why do some people take weekend trips into space while others cannot afford to pay their heating bills?
Klein’s analyses reveal just how much we underestimate the problem of extreme wealth. His book is a passionate appeal for greater social justice and a society in which prosperity is shared by everyone, rather than concentrated in the hands of a few.”
Klein is not alone in his analysis. Together with like-minded individuals, including millionaire heiress Marlene Engelhorn, he uses his privileged position to advocate for a fairer economic system and a reduction in wealth inequality through the “Tax Me Now” initiative.
During the online event, Sebastian Klein will present his analysis of the current situation in a moderated discussion and explore possible solutions.
About the speaker: Sebastian Klein is a psychologist, entrepreneur and sought-after speaker on the future of the economy and a fairer tax system. He studied psychology and began his career as a strategy consultant at Boston Consulting Group. In 2012, he co-founded the internationally successful start-up Blinkist with fellow students. Following the sale of Blinkist, Klein decided to dedicate 90% of his wealth to charitable purposes. Since 2017, his column “Milliarden vs. Milliardäre” (Billions vs. Billionaires) in the magazine Neue Narrative has explored issues of wealth distribution and inequality. In 2025, he published his book “Toxisch reich: Warum extremer Reichtum unsere Demokratie gefährdet” (Toxic Wealth: Why Extreme Wealth Threatens Our Democracy).
Today, Sebastian Klein is co-founder of the Karma Capital Group and co-initiator of the Media Forward Fund. Both initiatives focus on sustainable investments in steward-owned businesses and media organisations. He is also actively involved in the “taxmenow” initiative, which advocates for fairer taxation of wealth.
Registration via meco@oeko.lu is required to receive the access link to the event.
The event will be held in German, with interpretation into English.
29.10.2026