inheritence vs. equal opportunities
startequal aims to shed light on the relation between inheritence and equal opportunities in life. It promotes the idea that an abolition of inheritance or a high inheritence tax rate regime is a precondition for (more) equal opportunities. The platform provides analysis and a repository of articles to contribute to the debate of how to counter the rising inequalities levels from a social-liberal perspective.
Analysis
Access startequal's own analysis and policy proposals for discussion.
Background
A collection of media and research articles on inheritance and related topics.
Community
Connect to our network of like-minded individuals and organisations.
Analysis & Proposals
Find our own analysis and policy proposals for a more liberal and just inheritance legislation below.
Disability and Opportunity: Can Inheritance Bridge the Gap?
One of the underlying assumptions in this text has been that financial privilege correlates with other privileges (see for instance our article on Biological Feudalism). The idea, put simply, is that
Second-best at best: Why a wealth tax is no alternative to inheritance tax, nor a very good complement
In the discussion of inheritance taxes, wealth taxes feature prominently, sometimes as a useful complement, but often as an alternative. Where inheritance and gift taxes are one-off transfer taxes, wealth
Inheritance Rights: A Constitutional Perspective
Sometimes, if all other arguments fail, defenders of inheritance will point towards the constitution and argue that its simply legally not possible to substantially or fully tax/abolish inheritance. Indeed many
Biologocial Feudalism
Biological Feudalism Privilege can not only be passed on through economic or sociocultural channels, but also much more directly and fundamentally by biological means. The development of personal abilities and
Inheritance as an equaliser?
Inheritance is sometimes touted as a mechanism that can reduce inequality by spreading wealth more evenly across society. This can technically be true, as there are a number of statistical
Natural Differences and the Handicap Principle: A case for 200% inheritance tax
“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches
Background on Inheritance
Find a curated selection of media and science articles on issues around inheritance, wealth and income inequality, taxation, family business sucession, and more below
Earned vs. unearned: the German and Austrian discourse on inheritance tax
The authors of this study have evaluated 3573 arguments within the German and Austrian public discourse on inheritance tax. First clear result: he public opinion goes against inheritance taxes. This doesn’t
Reforming inheritance tax systems: Four guiding principles
Inheritance tax systems can play an important role in increasing social equality, yet across the world, these systems often struggle to achieve their intended aims. Étienne Fize, Nicolas Grimprel and
Expropriation? Why 100 percent inheritance tax would be better
The article explores possible justifications for 100 percent inheritance tax. It’s based on the belief that equality of opportunity is not only a social but also a deeply liberal idea.
How 100% inheritance tax rates could feed an inheritance fund for everyone
The authors discuss how a 100% inheritance tax regime may be highly contentious but morally justified. The proceeds could go into a general fund from which something like a universal
Optimal inheritance tax rate
Scholars estimate the optimal inheritance tax rate to be around 50%–60% or larger. In a 2012 article, Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez find that the optimal inheritance tax rate might
Inheritance is key to the concentration of wealth
The paper by Pirmin Fessler and Martin Schürz, both from the Austrian National Bank, argues that, across all euro area countries, inheritance plays a decisive role in defining the relative
Community
We are a community of people from different places and backgrounds united by the believe that inheritance and inequality are inherently linked.
We are a loose network of individuals and organisations interested in the inequality-inheritence nexus, powering this website, and pushing for change. We are open and looking forward to further interested parties to join the movement. There is various ways to contribute.
Reach out or signup to our newsletter below!