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In the UK pre-Thatcher the highest rate for income tax was about 83% as memory serves. Since that was canned income inequality has gone up a lot[0], but (and th

• DanBC 13y ago
  The highest rate of income tax was during WWII. It was an eye-watering 99.5% During the 50s and 60s it was a "more reasonable" 90%. > The highest rate of income tax peaked in the Second World War at 99.25%.It was slightly reduced after the war and was around 90% through the 1950s and 60s. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_the_United_Kingdom#History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_the_United_Kingdom#...) I'm in favour of income tax, and I've spoken strongly against people who avoid their tax to extreme levels. But 90% is just nuts. I'd much rather have a 25% and actually collect it from everyone than 40% and only collect it from people who don't pay accountants to avoid it. There's a really interesting series on UK Channel 4 called "Skint" about a poor neighbourhood in Scunthorpe. It's grim, depressing, watch.