I don’t care about wealth taxes. I DO care about a lot of things wealth taxes are supposed to do.

I hate to be out of step with my progressive "tribe." But here it is....

Thread, with an invitation to challenge, respectfully.
I care about having government and state as free as possible to act independently of the commands of big capital.
I care about workers getting paid a living, saving wage. Wealth that comes from businesses NOT doing that is a register of injustice, and we need mechanisms that prevent that injustice.
I care about having tax-funded social services that protect people from disasters (illness, loss of income, disadvantage, etc) and tax-funded systems of education and management of common resources that prevent disasters.
I care about having a tax structure that distributes the burden of contribution in ways that are linked to ability to contribute, in ways that are fair and known to be fair.
If I thought wealth taxes were a significant help in achieving these goals, I’d be a vigorous advocate of wealth taxes. But are there not other, more direct, and likely more powerful means to those goals?
Sound and well enforced election/campaign finance laws.
Sound and well enforced labour codes and industrial relations regimes, encoded in international trade regimes.
A politically-engaged public motivated to provide care, prevent waste/corruption, and hold government to account.
Sound tax law, supported by adequate and fair enforcement, and a culture of contribution – no “tax the other guy” routine evasion in daily life. No more “You dodge, so I dodge, we all dodge.”
Some – maybe all – of these are harder than passing a wealth tax law. But a law that’s easily passed because its impact can easily be avoided is merely symbolic.
I haven’t given up on the progressivity of income taxation, but the dream that inspired it and current reality don’t match. I think, but I might be wrong, the same fate awaits a wealth tax. Persuade me I’m wrong!
You can follow @stillots1.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: