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by Paracompact
320 days ago
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Of course! I think carbon taxes and the like are a great idea. If we had the social technology and the social consensus to enact pay-what-you-use schemes for everything, we might be close to a utilitarian utopia already. (For example, I have no idea how to compute the marginal benefit to an individual derived from living in a society that values egalitarian access to higher education, even if that individual does not choose to access those resources directly; but such would be necessary to pursue a rigorous calculation of that individual's fair share.) Lacking that utopia, we have to estimate. You say income taxes are an unfair mechanism; what do you think is fairer? |
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Taxes are a disincentive - this is why we tax vices.
We want to disincentivize rampant, mindless consumerism that fuels the externality costs, right?
Tax buying things - any things - all things - much heavier, tax the act of working to earn an income to survive much less.
Want to buy a car? Pay a big tax. Want to work hard to earn money to pay your bills and feed your family? Shouldn't be taxed for that.