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0 pointsCPLX7y ago0 comments

> If you're fighting economic inequality, you have to say "Let's have universal health care. And Larry, please don't start Google." Otherwise Larry's going to mess up your numbers big time.

That's fucking idiocy. Or more accurately, propaganda from a billionaire with extreme vested interest in this topic.

It's pretty straightforward to say "Go ahead and start Google, and if it succeeds we're going to have some basic rules about worker's rights and compensation you'll have to follow, and we're going to tax a much larger percentage of your personal gains, but you'll still be very, very rich". At which point you're also fighting economic inequality.

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thr_w7y ago

Agreed. This avoids the common argument against socialism removing incentives to success, while still providing social safety nets. Allow people to succeed, but when they do, tax them and regulate them to benefit the less fortunate members of society. The rich got rich in part because of the protections and services afforded them by our modern society. In having reaped a greater share of benefit, why should they not contribute a greater share of taxes?

There is a stark difference between socialism rooted in the above idea and socialism rooted in jealousy and vindictiveness toward the wealthy just because they're wealthy. We're not trying to punish the wealthy and we can still allow them to be very wealthy. But as the US currently stands, the wealthy could contribute much more while still having far greater quality of life than almost everyone else.

CPLXOP7y ago

The argument that there won't be incentives for success is and has always been ludicrous. It's not based in any kind of empirical reality, just on an emotional theory that people won't work if you tax them more, and an Ayn Rand novel or two.

The reality is that people compete for status, success, money, and power, within the framework they are given.

I mean we've actually tried this. If you take a group of incredibly skilled business people and tax them heavily you don't get some dystopia, you get Switzerland.

davidgay7y ago

I'm not sure that a country without capital gain taxes (Switzerland) is the best example for highly taxing successful business founders...

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CamperBob27y ago

I mean we've actually tried this. If you take a group of incredibly skilled business people and tax them heavily you don't get some dystopia, you get Switzerland.

And what important/useful companies, tech or otherwise, got their start in Switzerland?

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0 pointsCPLX7y ago0 comments

> If you're fighting economic inequality, you have to say "Let's have universal health care. And Larry, please don't start Google." Otherwise Larry's going to mess up your numbers big time.

That's fucking idiocy. Or more accurately, propaganda from a billionaire with extreme vested interest in this topic.

0 comments

thr_w7y ago

CPLXOP7y ago

The reality is that people compete for status, success, money, and power, within the framework they are given.

I mean we've actually tried this. If you take a group of incredibly skilled business people and tax them heavily you don't get some dystopia, you get Switzerland.

davidgay7y ago

I'm not sure that a country without capital gain taxes (Switzerland) is the best example for highly taxing successful business founders...

1 more reply

CamperBob27y ago

I mean we've actually tried this. If you take a group of incredibly skilled business people and tax them heavily you don't get some dystopia, you get Switzerland.

And what important/useful companies, tech or otherwise, got their start in Switzerland?

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse