I have an article under the above title on the Demos Open Left site this morning.
I argue:
Tax is at the core of the Left’s agenda. If there is one quality that defines the Left it should be equality. The market cannot and does not by itself deliver anything approaching equality; government intervention is required to do that and this is the reason for left-wing intervention in the political process.
What does equality mean in terms of tax?
1. Increased equality of post tax incomes;
2. Reduced wealth disparities;
3. Equality of tax paid at a fixed level of income, irrespective of income source;
4. Steadily increasing progressivity of taxation across the income and wealth ranges;
5. Steadily reducing access to tax planning opportunities as income rises.
This issue is at the core of Open left’s concern for these reasons.
And redistribution is, I argue, at the core of the equality debate whilst tax is at the centre of the political divide.
For these reasons the Left ignores tax at its peril — and when talking tax has to make clear it will charge progressive tax that reduces the burden on the vast majority at the expense of the few.
To read the argument — go to the Demos blog.
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Equality is part of it but what about ownership?
Too many people think of “them and us”. Too many rich think taxes are used for other people, for “spongers”. Too many of those on benefits think the state is there to be exploited.
We need to join things up so people see they have obligations to the state and get benefits from it. That means devolving powers to raise and spend taxes to local communities so people can see how their money is used.
We need less of the cow subsidies, foreign wars and national IT schemes that costs tens of billions and more local regeneration so people can see how taxes benefit them. At the moment, there is no social contract and the political prize will be won by whoever fills the vacuum. Because nobody wants to live in an impoverished, divided society, whether the poor people on slum estates or the rch in gated communities.
Not clear what you mean by “Left”? Redistribution is something that all political parties put at the centre of their manifesto’s, and none deliver.
“Equality debate”? what on earth is that all about.
This sounds like a mish mash of wooley socialism. Does your group intend to put it into a manifesto and stand on it in an election?