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> The problem with inheritance taxes, property taxes, etc. is that they erode the meaning of ownership and permanence. That's just it, we never really own anyt
by gerbilly 7y ago
> The problem with inheritance taxes, property taxes, etc. is that they erode the meaning of ownership and permanence.
That's just it, we never really own anything anyway.
If the rich are richer than us, it's because we gave our wealth to them, or rather let them take it.
To he who has much, more will be given...
- throwawaysea 7y ago> it's because we gave their riches to them. This seems disconnected from reality. It is more accurate to say that they earned it through voluntary two party transactions.
- barrkel 7y agoYou're dying of cancer. How much will you pay doctors / drug company to keep you alive? Is the transaction voluntary? Think carefully what voluntary means. Many, if not most, people, in their daily lives, don't have much volition.
- throwawaysea 7y agoI don’t think the second bit follows from the first. You’ve cherry picked an example of tough circumstances that most people don’t face.
- gerbilly 7y agoYou don't even need to use such a dire example as cancer to see how wealth would get transferred involuntarily. Say your neighbour falls on hard times, and instead of just helping him, you offer to buy some of his land, or his watch, or whatever at a disadvantageous price. Or you lend him money at unfavourable terms. There are real life businesses that operate today, pawn shops, cheque cashing places, that grow wealthy on the poor. The way to avoid giving what little wealth we have to the man, means to rely on one's community, but in North America that is being eroded more and more.