Tax

[Mich the Tester]

How have we reached a situation where a majority find it justifiable to take, by force, more than 40%, and indeed in some cases more than 50% of other people’s incomes?

At what level is tax no longer an instrument of a democracy but an instrument of a kleptocracy?

[NotAllThere]

The point at which most people think it is kleptocracy, is when their earning are taxed at 50%.

[ChimpMaster]

How have we reached a situation where a majority find it justifiable to take, by force, more than 40%, and indeed in some cases more than 50% of other people’s incomes?

At what level is tax no longer an instrument of a democracy but an instrument of a kleptocracy?

The history of Taxation makes a very interesting read (now there's a phrase I never thought I'd say).

Today, we are paying the price for the goverment's and banks' blunders, and soon 50% taxation might in fact seem to have been a good deal. I can imagine a UK where we pay 70% taxation, and still get very little in return.

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/18022010/325...arply-jan.html

[Spacecadet]

How have we reached a situation where a majority find it justifiable to take, by force, more than 40%, and indeed in some cases more than 50% of other people’s incomes?

At what level is tax no longer an instrument of a democracy but an instrument of a kleptocracy?

kleptocracy might be the wrong term, may I suggest incompetentocracy

[TimberWolf]

Kleptocracy is having to pay full and incredibly high council tax when you've got no income

[Julius Caesar]

How have we reached a situation where a majority find it justifiable to take, by force, more than 40%, and indeed in some cases more than 50% of other people’s incomes?

At what level is tax no longer an instrument of a democracy but an instrument of a kleptocracy?

I do not see a a complete difference between democracy and anything else in the question of whether the tax rate is 30%, 40%, 50%, or 60%. They are just different tax rates, some more taxing than others. It's like the old tale of the philosophy professor (or Churchill or GBS or whoever) asking the woman if she would sleep with him for a million pounds, and being told, Yes.
- Would you do it for one pound?
- What kind of woman do you think I am?
- We've already established that, I'm just trying to fix the price.

Well, we've more or less let the income tax become acceptable. In that case, we are just trying to fix the price.

Do you believe that there is a point at which the rate becomes such as to alter the type of action that the tax constitutes, or the type of government that is doing it?

[cojak]

I can imagine a UK where we pay 70% taxation, and still get very little in return.

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/18022010/325...arply-jan.html

It's been done before...

[VectraMan]

Kleptocracy is having to pay full and incredibly high council tax when you've got no income

Or having to pay 75% if you live alone as the family of 5 next door.

Wasn't there a British Prime Minister who came up with a much fairer system of paying for local council services? What was her name?

[Mich the Tester]

The history of Taxation makes a very interesting read (now there's a phrase I never thought I'd say).

Today, we are paying the price for the goverment's and banks' blunders, and soon 50% taxation might in fact seem to have been a good deal. I can imagine a UK where we pay 70% taxation, and still get very little in return.

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/18022010/325...arply-jan.html

In Holland we have a top rate of tax at 52% for people earning more than 54,000 euros. That’s a lot of people, very few of whom actually pay it, because there is still mortgage interest tax relief. Also, many people bring their taxable income down by working partly or wholly from their own business. Others who don’t have these options open maximize non-taxable income by giving untaxed gifts to their kids. Those without kids and no other options to lower their tax burden just start working less hours. Holland has a huge part time workforce; many people actually choose to accept a bit less income in return for more free time because if you have a good hourly rate or wage there’s just no point in working beyond about 32 hours per week. The labour party here have suggested raising the top rate of tax to 60%; the labour minister of finance, who is luckily a bit less mad than his party members has said he won’t do that because it would damage the economy and wouldn’t raise any money.

[Julius Caesar]

The point at which most people think it is kleptocracy, is when their earning are taxed at 50%.

There is at the moment a curious psychological boundary at 50%, but there is nothing particularly special about that, once you have accepted the principle of income tax in the first place.