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If it's possible to live in a system where the rich aren't properly taxed, the rich will choose to live in that system. Thus no one can live in a system that do

If it's possible to live in a system where the rich aren't properly taxed, the rich will choose to live in that system. Thus no one can live in a system that does tax them fairly, because the system that tries to does not have any rich people to tax.

arcticbull 8y ago
I respectfully disagree. People aren't simply motivated by taxes -- there's other things like friendship, society, sense of purpose, opportunities, their place of business and the country they live in as a whole. Further, perceived value of money operates on a logarithmic scale so for someone with $2M in income $1M is a lot of money to take, but for someone with $100M $1M just isn't. I don't think you've factored in a whole lot of aspects. For instance, the top tax rate in Denmark is 62.5% and yet they have wealthy people -- why aren't they all in Hong Kong or Singapore or Malta or Gibraltar? The hyperbolic example is "the only place that won't tax me is this deserted island, so peace boys, it's just me and my money over here." Feels a bit unlikely doesn't it? There are places with truly nominal taxes already (Saudi Arabia for one), so why aren't all our rich people ... there in one big pile already?
- anoncake 8y ago
  You're right, I simplified way too much. Of course taxes are not the only factor in play. Indeed, I hope that I overestimated their inpact. Also I didn't expect the top taxes in Denmark to be that high.
mcphage 8y ago
> the system that tries to does not have any rich people to tax Ah, I've always wondered why there aren't any rich people in New York or California. I guess this explains it.
rosser 8y ago
And Xeno's arrow never hits its target, either... This is a purely a priori argument, and ignores the manifest reality of the distribution of fantastically wealthy individuals in some of the highest-tax jurisdictions in the world.

arcticbull 8y ago

I respectfully disagree. People aren't simply motivated by taxes -- there's other things like friendship, society, sense of purpose, opportunities, their place of business and the country they live in as a whole. Further, perceived value of money operates on a logarithmic scale so for someone with $2M in income $1M is a lot of money to take, but for someone with $100M $1M just isn't. I don't think you've factored in a whole lot of aspects. For instance, the top tax rate in Denmark is 62.5% and yet they have wealthy people -- why aren't they all in Hong Kong or Singapore or Malta or Gibraltar? The hyperbolic example is "the only place that won't tax me is this deserted island, so peace boys, it's just me and my money over here." Feels a bit unlikely doesn't it? There are places with truly nominal taxes already (Saudi Arabia for one), so why aren't all our rich people ... there in one big pile already?

anoncake 8y ago
You're right, I simplified way too much. Of course taxes are not the only factor in play. Indeed, I hope that I overestimated their inpact. Also I didn't expect the top taxes in Denmark to be that high.

mcphage 8y ago

> the system that tries to does not have any rich people to tax Ah, I've always wondered why there aren't any rich people in New York or California. I guess this explains it.

rosser 8y ago

And Xeno's arrow never hits its target, either... This is a purely a priori argument, and ignores the manifest reality of the distribution of fantastically wealthy individuals in some of the highest-tax jurisdictions in the world.