Even Adam Smith supported taxation AND progressive tax rates: The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state. The necessaries of life occasion the great expense of the poor. They find it difficult to get food, and the greater part of their little revenue is spent in getting it. The luxuries and vanities of life occasion the principal expense of the rich . . . . It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion. It must always be remembered, however, that it is the luxuries, and not the necessary expense of the inferior ranks of people, that ought ever to be taxed. Ive seen some folks use the first quote to debunk the idea of progressive tax rates. Funny how they conveniently ignore the second one. We call this Confirmation Bias. See Also: The Dunning-Kruger Effect.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 23:00:00 +0000
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