The Perceived Fairness of “the Rich” Paying Their “Fair Share” in Taxes by Progressive Demands

Tax fairness is not usually defined precisely. Many progressives maintain the rich owe their wealth to corruption, systemic oppression, or the opportunity contributed by government programs and the work of others. Most progressives acknowledge that hard work and merit contribute something to success, but they believe this is limited to a few hundred thousand dollars in annual income or a few million dollars in wealth. They argue that wealth made through financial trading, big corporations, lobbying, and other means is ill-gotten.

Perspective on Tax Fairness

From another perspective, a fair tax should cause equal pain for all taxpayers. If a minimum wage worker skips a meal to pay FICA payroll deductions, billionaires should reduce consumption by a comparable amount. Since the rich don’t consume much of their wealth, substantial amounts must be taken to reduce their consumption.

Debunking the Progressive Argument

The left has always discounted what enables productive people to move up the socioeconomic ladder. By pointing to success and crying unfair, they are engaging in a political lie that is both meaningless and extremely successful. The progressive demand for the “rich” to pay their “fair share” is nothing more than a meaningless trope used to divide the people and steal more of their money.

Arguments Against Progressive Taxation

Those opposing progressive taxation argue that the economy and government policy have benefited high-income earners more than low-income earners. Lower capital gains rates and wealth without any taxable event often mean the very wealthy pay a smaller percentage of their income and wealth increase than the majority. It is unclear who exactly is meant by “the rich,” as people often imagine super-billionaires like Bezos and Musk, but tax policy tends to target individuals at a lower level: the upper 10%, whose income still primarily comes from wages and self-employment.

Moreover, the increase in inequality suggests that more income at the lower levels could create business opportunities for everyone. The focus on taxing high-income earners is less about fairness and more about redistributing wealth from the masses to those in power, driven by envy and greed.

Conclusion

To the overly greedy and envious progressives, anything that takes more from others than themselves is considered ‘fair.’ This perspective not only disregards the legitimate contributions of productive individuals but also perpetuates a divide-and-conquer strategy to implement social and economic policies that benefit a select few at the expense of the broader population.