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I haven't down-voted you, but I must say it's a crazy idea. We may try finding ways to impose some handicap to some people for... what exactly? For some politic

I haven't down-voted you, but I must say it's a crazy idea. We may try finding ways to impose some handicap to some people for... what exactly? For some political/social sense of rightness? In the end, the fact is, the entire society benefits from having competent people around, regardless of their pedigree chart. Moreover, like the article mentions, the inheritance isn't just estate/material any more. It's a broad spectrum that starts from (probably controverted) genetic advantage up to the process of being groomed for high-level positions in society. Say, how would we tax the parent's reputation and her network of social connections that somehow spills over the off-springs?

minikites 12y ago
It's very possible that I'm missing some vital concept but start from the other direction, as if inheritance never existed: The point of taxes is to contribute to society for the help they have given you for resources we all share (infrastructure, national defense, education, etc). After you die, why should your accumulated wealth, produced with the help of society, go to only your offspring instead of society at large?
- aswanson 12y ago
  Because our theory of justice and government include property rights. Those rights include the privilege to gift legally acquired property, while we live, to our children. Turn that question around. What is society at large going to do for my children if I die today that I couldn't do better if I was living and directing my efforts toward them?
  - minikites 12y ago
    Property rights are already voluntarily violated through taxation, this is just a more thorough example. Why should someone who hasn't earned property get to exercise rights over it? Society contributed to the wealth, the offspring may or may not have, but if they did they should have been paid before the elder in the situation passed on. And to your second point, it's a chicken-and-egg problem. Because taxes are so vilified, we don't have the fiscal ability to take care of people as we should (in my opinion). If society at large had a form of basic income, that would answer your second point and one way to fund it would be to massively increase estate/inheritance taxes.
    - userulluipeste 12y ago
      I never thought of taxes as property violation. I guess I had perceived these through their original concepts - from the roman right. There a property was rightly yours in the society that considers you a part of it. At your turn, it was your duty to make sure the society that recognizes your rights stays in one piece, which meant protecting it with your life if necessary. That was your contribution to society. Later the citizen's contribution become solely financial and it's somewhat understandable now why it's perceived as a racket. You've suggested that after you die the property should go to society, which is totally outside the roman right tradition and hard to swallow in west. However in east (or at least in China) you may find your suggestion already implemented. I'm not aware of all details, but I remember that a "property" there (like a house to live in) is yours only for a limited time and your children have to buy it all over again!
      - minikites 12y ago
        Interesting, I didn't know that about China. And regarding taxes as property violation, it's a very popular meme in the American Right/Conservative/Libertarian groups that "taxes = theft".

minikites 12y ago

It's very possible that I'm missing some vital concept but start from the other direction, as if inheritance never existed: The point of taxes is to contribute to society for the help they have given you for resources we all share (infrastructure, national defense, education, etc). After you die, why should your accumulated wealth, produced with the help of society, go to only your offspring instead of society at large?

aswanson 12y ago
Because our theory of justice and government include property rights. Those rights include the privilege to gift legally acquired property, while we live, to our children. Turn that question around. What is society at large going to do for my children if I die today that I couldn't do better if I was living and directing my efforts toward them?
- minikites 12y ago
  Property rights are already voluntarily violated through taxation, this is just a more thorough example. Why should someone who hasn't earned property get to exercise rights over it? Society contributed to the wealth, the offspring may or may not have, but if they did they should have been paid before the elder in the situation passed on. And to your second point, it's a chicken-and-egg problem. Because taxes are so vilified, we don't have the fiscal ability to take care of people as we should (in my opinion). If society at large had a form of basic income, that would answer your second point and one way to fund it would be to massively increase estate/inheritance taxes.
  - userulluipeste 12y ago
    I never thought of taxes as property violation. I guess I had perceived these through their original concepts - from the roman right. There a property was rightly yours in the society that considers you a part of it. At your turn, it was your duty to make sure the society that recognizes your rights stays in one piece, which meant protecting it with your life if necessary. That was your contribution to society. Later the citizen's contribution become solely financial and it's somewhat understandable now why it's perceived as a racket. You've suggested that after you die the property should go to society, which is totally outside the roman right tradition and hard to swallow in west. However in east (or at least in China) you may find your suggestion already implemented. I'm not aware of all details, but I remember that a "property" there (like a house to live in) is yours only for a limited time and your children have to buy it all over again!
    - minikites 12y ago
      Interesting, I didn't know that about China. And regarding taxes as property violation, it's a very popular meme in the American Right/Conservative/Libertarian groups that "taxes = theft".