Taxation logo taxation mission text

Since 1927 the leading authority on tax law, practice and administration

Evening up the score

12 October 2016 / Ken Richards
Issue: 4571 / Categories: Comment & Analysis
istock_38586872_large_fmt

A personal view of the way in which the tax system has tackled the issues of social inequality and environmental protection and some suggestions for future policy changes.

KEY POINTS

  • Without positive measures inequality tends to increase.
  • Do companies subscribe to environmental protection?
  • Will the new government target wealth inequalities and environmental damage?
  • Would higher tax rates discourage entrepreneurial activity?
  • Inheritance tax should be replaced with a gift tax on the recipients.

Two of the greatest social problems facing western societies today are inequality of income and wealth and the degradation of the environment. On the first according to economist Thomas Piketty (Capital in the Twenty-First Century) there is often an inexorable force at work which drives even greater inequality unless deliberate policy measures are taken to offset this tendency. On the second issue the scandal concerning Volkswagen’s attempt to cheat environmental tests on its diesel vehicles brought into sharp focus the idea that not all companies...

If you or your firm subscribes to Taxation.co.uk, please click the login box below:

If you are not a subscriber but are a registered user or have a free trial, please enter your details in the following boxes:

Alternatively, you can register free of charge to read a limited amount of subscriber content per month.
Once you have registered, you will receive an email directing you back to read this item in full.

Please reach out to customer services at +44 (0) 330 161 1234 or 'customer.services@lexisnexis.co.uk' for further assistance.

back to top icon