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 basic inheritance could be paid. The article underlines how such a seemingly radical proposal is far from being based on collectivist grounds, but on liberalism and meritocracy taken seriously. They leave no doubt that it’s possible to argue against such taxes employing family-related arguments, but that this line of argumentation is more feudalistic than liberal in nature.  The authors also make a pragmatic proposal for how to deal with gifts as an early form of inheritance. Lastly, the topics of company succession and that of social mobility are covered.

Publisher: sueddeutsche.de
Author(s):  Volker Grossmann | Guy Kirsch
Date: 21.3.2016
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