“Why don’t the rich pay?”
“The rich should pay more taxes and help the poor.”
“The only reason the poor survive so hard are the rich.”
We often hear about the idea of taking from the rich and giving it to the poor. When I hear such sentences, I think of Robin Hood. Robin Hood may have passed away from this world hundreds of years ago, but those who followed in his footsteps are still alive.
The idea of taking from the rich and giving it to the poor most troubled the poor and middle class. The reason why the middle class is heavily taxed is actually the Robin Hood ideal. The harsh reality is that the rich are not taxed. The middle class helping the poor, especially high-income and educated ones.
For better understanding, we first need to look at the historical process.
There was no such thing as tax in Britain and America before. Temporary taxes were imposed to cover increased expenses during wars. In the past, the announcement was made by the king or the head of state and everyone was asked to put their hands in their pockets. The introduction of taxation in Britain took place between 1799 and 1816. During this period, Britain was fighting against Napoleon. In America, the first taxes were introduced during the Civil War period between 1861-1865.
In 1874, England turned income tax on its citizens into a permanent practice. The United States made the income tax application permanent in 1913 after the 16th constitutional amendment was approved. Americans used to be against taxation. The famous Tea Party in Boston Harbor contributed to the start of the War of Independence, and the reason was the excessive tax rates imposed on tea. In both England and the United States, it took fifty years for societies to adopt the regular income tax application.
These taxes were imposed to be collected only from the rich. The poor and middle class were told that taxes were levied only for the rich, so the idea of tax was popularized and imposed on the majority. Therefore, the masses voted “Yes” to the law and the tax was legalized. Although the main purpose was to punish the rich, in reality it was the people who voted for him, the poor and the middle class who were punished.
When we examine the history of taxes, we are faced with an interesting perspective. As stated above, the implementation of the tax system was made possible by the masses believing in Robin Hood economic theories, which argued that income should be taken from the rich and distributed to all. But the state loved money so much that it soon imposed taxes on the middle class, and taxes spread to the lowest class of society.
The rich took this situation as an opportunity. Because they play the game by different rules. Even in the time of sailing ships, they established insurance companies for goods carried on the voyage. The rich invested money in the company to cover travel expenses. The companies was hiring seafarers who would sail to the New World in search of treasure. Even if the ship sank during the voyage and the crew died, the loss of the rich was limited to the money they invested on that voyage.
Knowing the power of the company’s legal structure is what makes the rich superior to the poor and middle class. Thus, although the masses advocated “buy from the rich,” the rich sooner or later found a way to overcome them. That was why, the middle class was also taxed. The rich got what they wanted because they were aware of the power of money.
Companies and governments always protect the rich. But many people who have never started a company do not know that a company is really “nothing”. The company is almost a file containing some legal documents registered in the government office in the law firm. It is not a big building with its name on the top. It is neither a factory nor a community of persons. The company is nothing more than a legal document that creates a soulless legal personality.
As soon as the income tax was made permanent by law, the benefits of companies came back on the agenda. Because the income tax rate of companies is lower than the individual income tax rate. Thus, the wealth of the rich was once again preserved.
As a result, this war between those who have property and those who do not have been going on for hundreds of years. This is the “take from the rich” war of the crowds against the rich. Wherever and whenever laws are made, this war will be fought. It will take forever. The problem is that the uninformed ones are the losers. These are those who get up early every morning and go to work and pay taxes. If they understood the rules of the game the rich are playing, they could play better too. Then they could gain their financial independence.
Please let me know that what are you thinking about the taxes below.
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