Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Fee Tail, Rationality, Positive Liberty
5 Nov 2015
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Swift considers 5 answers to this question: 1. Taxation need not reduce the freedom of those who are taxed. Ronald dworkin: taxes restrict my freedom only if i have a right to my money. G. a. cohen: taxes always restrict my freedom because they limit my choices. Redistributive taxation reduces the freedom of the rich but increases the freedom of the poor: 2. Redistribution can help people, regardless of its effects on freedom. Taxes can be used to provide public goods/improve prospects for the worst off. So, redistribution can promote security, efficiency, equality, happiness. Freedom is valuable, but it is not the only value: 3. Redistribution can increase the total amount of effective freedom. Taxes reduce the effective freedom of those who are taxed, but can increase the total amount of effective freedom of everyone. Afghanistan or canada: afghanistan, example: it has less street lights allowing for people to drive all over the road.
