Equality and Fairness

Afriend_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

Really? What a brilliant excuse!
Where did that come from?

I read it somewhere, sorry my memory for facts is better than my memory of their source. It was something to do with too many or too few nicotene receptors. I have PM'd you.

Jonbvn

Given this supposed utopia why would anyone try to improve their lot, given that they would get the same income whether they cleaned toilets or were brain surgeons?

Experience has proven without doubt that it just doesn't work.Orwell & Huxley were smarter than we first realised.

the_ash_and_the_oak

see where you are coming from but got two issues w that imo.

1. think we're only talking about taxing income on the proportions above various thresholds - ie 'the rich' aren't taxed extra on their whole income - only on the sections above various bands. Not really feeling this is going to make a 80k salary equivalent to a 28k salary imo

2. Why would anyone try better themselves in this situation? The same reason people train to become nurses or firemen or violinists?

carolt

Jonbvn wrote: »

Given this supposed utopia why would anyone try to improve their lot, given that they would get the same income whether they cleaned toilets or were brain surgeons?

Experience has proven without doubt that it just doesn't work.Orwell & Huxley were smarter than we first realised.

The same reason people in communist countries didn't all opt to clean toilets - it was a hell of a lot more fun and higher status (if not higher pay) to be a brain surgeon than a toilet cleaner. Plus you probably got rather more job satisfaction.

In your world, do people only do things for more money?

PaulW1965

PasturesNew wrote: »

I earn about £2-3/hour, I just work a lot of hours so it adds up to about £30-40/day ... and it miffs me that I get taxed still because tax is on how much you earn, not how long it takes you to earn it

When I think off all the hours I put in my hourly rate is probably about......50p:D

Generali

LauraW10 wrote: »

I'm not sure if you are having a pop at me

It isn't a pop at you or anyone else for that matter.

There does seem to be a moral inconsistancy if people want to see equality of income paid for only people who they deem rich but by themselves who would appear rich to most of the world's population.

I don't believe in redistribution of income beyond a short-term welfare safety net and help for those who can't help themselves.

Fridge2

I've often thought that instead of taxing income we would do much better to tax consumption instead (on non-essential goods of course).

Perhaps if we could reduce the inneficiency and corruption in Governments worldwide, thus reducing their spending, we could reduce the amount of income they need. IMO, the best way to do this is to minimise Govt as much as is possible, and take it out of peoples daily lives.

People tend not to be poor because of natural causes (though it does happen) but most often because they can't get the monkey that is excessive Govt off their backs.

PaulW1965

Generali wrote: »

I don't believe in redistribution of income beyond a short-term welfare safety net and help for those who can't help themselves.

Urrrr why on earth not?

Generali

PaulW1965 wrote: »

Urrrr why on earth not?

Because I don't believe it's the Government's job to subsidise peoples' wages in the long term.

lostinrates

carolt wrote: »

The same reason people in communist countries didn't all opt to clean toilets - it was a hell of a lot more fun and higher status (if not higher pay) to be a brain surgeon than a toilet cleaner. Plus you probably got rather more job satisfaction.

In your world, do people only do things for more money?

Same reason but inverted as now we are not all tying to be bankers?


I am scared by high taxation/equal pay not by salary equality but:
a: the power it gives to the adminstrators/governement of the system
b: the lack of choice for poepl living under a system they don't agree with

No one is ''equal'' IMO, some are more intelligent, better read, a litle prettier, a little taller, a little beter blessed with health, a lot worse with health...lack of personal equality however doesn't make us less equal in rights. I'm not about to demand those prettier than I have there noses cut off to level the oppertunity of ''man catching'' or income through looks, and to becme better read...I read more, not suggest a ban on buying books and a quota of libray books than must be read and not exceeded.