tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post8726703783084054968..comments2024-03-26T22:57:21.033+00:00Comments on Random Views: Dumbing down the electorate? According to the OECD, there's no needDavid Beesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393977902379776532noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post-29179008412425897652013-10-31T18:07:06.637+00:002013-10-31T18:07:06.637+00:00Err,not sure about wanting to make the rich pay mo...Err,not sure about wanting to make the rich pay more: they took the top rate of 50% down to 45%; and on the gap between poor and rich, the UK was already the most unequal of the EU countries and it's rapidly becoming more unequal still. I don't believe the Tories have any belief in levelling; on the contrary, I believe they subscribe to a notion that it is excellence that gets you into the elite, and excellence should be rewarded.<br /><br />The elite might, through its excellence, enrich the whole of society and therefore reduce poverty, but this shouldn't reduce the differentials between top and bottom. On the contrary, if anything it should increase the rewards going to the top that made it all possible.<br /><br />That's the theory. The practice is that as soon as things turn tough, they protect the 'excellent' at the cost of the rest, ultimately making the poor - often the poorest - pay for their own failure. That's what's happening now.<br /><br />Happy to listen to the Analysis piece, though.David Beesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00393977902379776532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post-45004062968685930482013-10-21T19:29:20.430+01:002013-10-21T19:29:20.430+01:00Problem is that even the conservatives want to mak...Problem is that even the conservatives want to make the rich pay more tax (and hopefully stop the widening divide between rich and poor) but the task is rife with complications.<br /><br />The recent moves give tax collectors greater discretion in deciding if somebody respecting the letter of the law has broken the spirit. The issue here is that as soon as you leave this kind of legislation up to the whim of officials, you lose the ability to make marginal decisions when doing business.<br /><br />Though deep down I really like the idea of simply using common sense to punish tax avoiders, I'd prefer it to be done clearly and transparently (there's a reason we admire the Romans for publicly displaying their laws in the form of twelve tables posted at the forum), though I admit that any legislative solution will not last long as accountants will find new ways to work around the rules.<br /><br />To hear this argument expressed much more clearly, I highly recommend this "Analysis" episode:<br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0375db5<br /><br />Though I agree that tax avoidance needs to be stopped, I feel that Jamie Whyte does a great job defending an unpopular opinionAwoogamuffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03868669228439003143noreply@blogger.com