Tax the rich! But then what?

Tax the rich! But then what?

May 8, 2026 · 19 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of taxing the rich in New York, drawing parallels to past economic crises and exploring opportunities for urban adaptation.

Zohran Mamdani ran for mayor of New York on a platform of taxing the rich, proposing new levies targeting billionaires. Host Megan McArdle argues we’ve seen this kind of rapid shift before.  In the 1970s, New York spiraled into crisis as rising spending, a shrinking tax base and economic change led to crime, population loss and near-bankruptcy. Those lessons still matter today, especially as remote work and mobile wealth make cities more vulnerable to decline. But these same forces also create opportunities for cities that adapt, grow and make themselves attractive places to live and work. Subscribe to The Washington Post  here .

People in this episode

Host: Megan McArdle

Guest: Zohran Mamdani

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Washington Post

Places: New York

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