Several affluent individuals have come together to sign an open letter calling on governments worldwide to impose higher taxes on millionaires and billionaires, aiming to curb their influence on politics and statecraft. Addressed to world leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the letter titled ‘Time to Win’ was signed by 365 high-net-worth individuals, including actor Mark Ruffalo and singer Brian Eno.

It lamented that, “A handful of global oligarchs with extreme wealth have bought up our democracies, taken over our governments, gagged the freedom of our media, placed a stranglehold on technology and innovation, deepened poverty and social exclusion and accelerated the breakdown of our planet.”

“We are worn out watching this happen,” the letter went on to say. “We want our democracies back. We want our communities back. We want our future back.” In a statement published on the Time to Win website, Ruffalo said, “If we are to have democracy, not oligarchy, taxing the rich is essential to giving power back to the people.”

Eno’s statement read, “It’s impossible to ignore the brutal levels of economic inequality people are living with, and it’s only getting worse.” Both Ruffalo and Eno have been outspoken activists for social and economic justice in the world, notably raising their voices for the rights of Palestinians during Israel’s devastating war on Gaza.