[gasbag]

> no matter how effective you can implement your tax measures, at the end of the day people can move to other countries and your own country starts to suffer more than it benefits from the increased taxes.

The first half of this--that rich people can move to other countries if they think they are being taxed too much--is certainly true, but I have doubts about the second half.

There are people who have as part of their drive a desire to see humanity as a whole better off than we were before, and there are people whose primary drive is "eff you, I got mine." That's the kind of rich person who will be the first to abandon a high-tax country in droves, and in my opinion we are better off without them: they are the profiteers who make life for those working under them hellish, who feel no responsibility for polluting and underpaying and ignoring externalities and racing to the bottom. What we want, who we should hope to see become successful, are principled people who understand that the riches which come their way are only possible within the context of a healthy society, and who are willing to part with a larger share of their fantastic revenues to ensure its continued improvement (while of course still being able to enjoy the fruits of their labor).

To argue otherwise, as it looks to me at least, is to argue that (1) the only way to make a lot of money is to be selfish and unethical, and (2) we still need that money in taxes (at a lower tax rate) to maintain a healthy society. I am sure I'm simplifying things.