Millionaire who didn’t earn a single cent explains why she's giving away her $27m inheritance to strangers

There has been an increase in the divide between the rich and the poor over many years. The alarming rate requires that humanity take a joint responsibility towards balancing the same. However, this can only be achieved with a cooperative effort from both ends. Millionaires like Marlene Engelhorn, an activist from Austria–who goes by @marlene_.engelhorn on Instagram–have been making financially wise and wholesome decisions and she is a bright example for many. She is an heiress to a fortune worth millions and shares a video with the mind-boggling news that she would like to give away her inheritance to those in need. 

Introducing herself on the platform solely for this purpose, Engelhorn mentioned how it is unfair that others suffer while millionaires pass on generations of wealth. “I was born into a rich family and will one day inherit a fortune for which I never had to work,” she explained. She thought that millionaires should not have the freedom to decide whether or not they want to work for a living. “Social justice is in everyone’s best interest,” she added. She recently shared another video on the platform, where she spoke in an interview with Euro News about giving away €25 million ($27 million) to the right people.

In the video, Engelhorn advocated spreading her vast financial wealth across the globe for people in need or at the least having more valid taxes inflicted on people who are millionaires like her to bring a balance somewhere. “I have this money because the government has failed to mandate it,” Engelhorn said. She strongly believes that money should not be unequally distributed just because people are born into certain families with certain financial powers. Over the next few months, during weekends, experts will assist Engelhorn in picking worthy citizens to share the money with.

“The fact alone that people are willing to do this work, willing to commit their weekend – six freakin’ weekends – to discussing with strangers about whether or not inequality is just, and what to do about it … It should feed this hope that democracy is far from dead,” Engelhorn pointed out per The Guardian. She also shared that her mum has been supportive of her decision. She said, “Nobody is openly telling me that I’m doing something wrong or bad. On the contrary, my mum once said: ‘I’m going to be your biggest fan.’” As for managing in the future, Engelhorn has decided to take up a job “just like 99% of the population.” Engelhorn later deleted the post.

With 90% of her wealth handed over to be given away to the right people, Engelhorn has kept a bit for her to be able to manage rent and other utilities until she finds a job. While the activist does understand it is going to be challenging, she is proud of her initiative and it stands rightfully on her part as an activist fighting for the right things. “To me, really, starting a working, taxpaying life is ascending. It’s a step up into the democratic part of our society, the democratic 99%. This is like a boost to who I am as a person in the 21st century,” she said.

This article originally appeared 9 months ago.