Debate: Should the rich pay more taxes to reduce inequality?

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Background and context

Progressive tax policies have always been based on the idea that wealthy individuals should pay more, in proportion to their means. A specific questions within this idea is whether they should pay more specifically in order to reduce inequality and lift-up poorer classes.

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Are progressive taxes fair?

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Pro

• Societies are only fair if poor people who work harder, and have capability, are able to make it out of poverty. Progressive taxes are needed in order to pay for the schools, and programs that can make this a reality.
• Inequality is a problem when the poor have little chance of upward mobility.
• Progressive taxes that prevent inequality, prevent civil unrest.
• Progressive taxes help prevent the offspring of billionaires from becoming a permanent the ruling class.
• Rich people have plenty of advantages in our society. They have better public schools, better healthcare, can afford better lawyers, get treated better by the law, and can pass on large sums of wealth to their children. If they have to pay a little bit higher taxes it is the least they can do. The government provides the roads, libraries, schools, and protects them with armies, and police-men. The government made it possible for them to make their wealth. Paying slightly higher taxes is not too unfair, and it is better than public unrest caused if the plight of the poor is ignored too long, and they grow disgustingly rich.

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Con

• Progressive taxes punish good behavior.
• Progressive taxes punish hard work.
• Progressive taxes punish those with marketable skills.
• Being fair means that you treat everyone the same. You can't tax the rich at a higher rate and say that you are fair.

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Do progressive taxes punish those who are willing to work harder?

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Pro

The harder you work, the more money the government will take from you.

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Con

Sure the government will take a greater percentage of your money, but not that much. You will still have more money.

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Is it fair to tax some people at a higher rate, just because they have more money?

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Pro

Click on the pencil icon and research and write arguments here

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Con

To those whom much is given, much is expected

See also

• Debate: Fair Tax
• Debate: Progressive tax vs. flat tax
• Debate: Flat income tax in the United States

External links