That is a half-decent practical argument for those with means to donate to charity, though it presumes that the "less privileged" are inherently irrational. Gui

That is a half-decent practical argument for those with means to donate to charity, though it presumes that the "less privileged" are inherently irrational. Guillotining the rich (or just taking their money and turning them out on the street) isn't likely to do much at all to aid their survival. Barring some regrettable but ultimately trivial examples of conspicuous consumption, the mostly-paper wealth of the rich is tied up in capital investments aided at producing goods desired by the masses. Liquidate that and you have a bunch of useless cash and no goods to purchase with it. It isn't in any sense a moral justification for taxes.