Piketty proposes a permanent annual tax on capital. It suggests rates of 1% for assets between 1 and 5 million euros and 2% above 5 million euros, which if applied could generate significant income. Oracles Chairman Larry Ellison, worth $41 billion as of September 2013, dropped out of high school and worked numerous odd jobs over the years until he founded what is now one of the largest technology companies in the world (Business Insider ). Ellison, who would be an ideal candidate for Piketty's tax, is an example of hard work and a "rags to riches" story, in contrast to the picture Piketty paints of the rich getting richer through inheritance.