The Robin Hood state: taxes are getting more progressive

<p>Income inequality abounds and today’s rich are staggeringly rich, implying that tax regimes are giving the wealthy more and more of a pass. Our dig into the numbers suggests <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2026/02/16/the-robin-hood-state-is-coming-for-the-rich?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the opposite</a>. We ask why so many of the world’s international mercenaries <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/02/04/why-so-many-colombians-fight-in-foreign-wars?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hail from Colombia</a>. And despite the signs, Spanish may be <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/02/06/america-may-be-reaching-peak-spanish?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reaching its peak</a> in America.</p><br /><p>Guests and hosts:</p><ul><li>Callum Williams, senior economics writer</li><li>Carla Subirana, news editor</li><li>Lane Greene, senior digital editor</li><li>Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li><li>Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Topics covered:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Taxation, welfare state, inequality</li><li>Colombia, international mercenaries</li><li>Spanish</li></ul><p><br /></p><p><em>Get a world of insights by </em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>subscribing to Economist Podcasts+</em></a><em>. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account.</em></p><br /><p><br /></p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>