Is Socialism an Utopia?

[rain]

My main problem with U.S.-style capitalism is that a fairly small percentage of people are allowed to achieve an absolutely ridiculous amount of money and power. Some people try to say that it's all about hard work to earn that kind of money, but in modern reality, the richest people are often opportunists, scammers, and those who were simply born into it. When it comes to these people, I'm all for redistribution of the wealth. Certain European countries seem to be doing just fine with their mixed socialist systems, and yet here in the U.S we are throwing billions of dollars at people who are gifted at activities like hitting tiny little balls great distances with sticks.

 

[Francesca R]

Taxes are a forced payment

Of course they are. What they are not is "punishment", as in "This is to stop you making money, to deter others from trying to make money, and to avenge the badness of the money you made".

Characterising tax in those terms is a pathetic whimper made by people who got lucky and somehow think they are accordingly extraordinarily deserving of life's good graces. Or for people who like to pretend a lot. Plenty of wealthy individuals agree with progressive tax. They wouldn't donate if the law didn't require it. They still agree with mandatory tax.

taxes have a clear measurable negative impact on the related economic activity

Of course they do. Whoever said that taxes promote economic efficiency? Certainly not me. That doesn't shake the truth that bleating "tax=punishment" is moderately hilarious. Are you hoping that people will take pity on wealthy folks if you say it? Or suddenly feel incredibly indebted to them? Sorry to pop your bubblegum but that isn't going to happen. It's what . . . incredibly naive.

You are inadvertently correct in that if we taxed personal debt starting with the removal of the mortgage deduction, we'd all be a lot better off today

Erm, removing tax relief on debt service is not taxing debt. Taxing debt involves gathering revenue from those who are highly leveraged or have negative net worth. For you to say "we'd be better off" either marks you out as an anti-credit anti-fractional banking pro-gold-standard type, or as merely not understanding what you write. Which?