British Socialism: An Examination of Its Doctrines, Policy, Aims and Practical ProposalsBarker, J. Ellis
History
British Socialism: An Examination of Its Doctrines, Policy, Aims and Practical Proposals
Barker, J. Ellis
Socialism; Socialism -- Great Britain
Mr. Philip Snowden, M.P., submits a different scheme of taxation.
There is to be an income-tax of _1s._ in the pound and a graduated
super-tax up to _6s._ in the pound. Whilst the three authorities
mentioned so far propose to take from the large incomes _2s. 6d._,
_3s._, and _3s. 6d._ in the pound as a "moderate beginning," Mr.
Snowden would, presumably also as a "moderate beginning," take _7s._
in the pound from them. He is quite touched with his own generosity
and magnanimity, for might he not demand at once _17s._ or _20s._ in
the pound? "To console the possessors of incomes in the higher grade,
say _50,000l._ a year, to the payment of an income-tax of _1s._ in the
pound, we may remind them that they still retain _33,500l._ a year,
which is a very generous payment by labour to them for the privilege
of seeing them exist in gorgeous splendour and sumptuous
idleness."[458]
The proposals regarding the estate duty to be charged also vary. The
Fabian Society proposes a maximum of 15 per cent. Mr. Smart would be
satisfied with a graduated estate duty with a maximum of 25 per cent,
instead of the present maximum of 8 per cent.[459] Mr. Snowden
proposes a scale of duties which ranges from 1 per cent, up to 50 per
cent.[460]
Besides the very greatly increased income-tax and estate duty, there
would be, according to Mr. Snowden, a land value tax of a penny in the
pound of its capital value, which is equal to 10 per cent. annual
value. It is to be the small beginning of the policy of taxing
landowners out of existence, to be speedily followed by confiscation.
"The annual value of land being _250,000,000l._, the produce of the
land value tax would be _25,000,000l._ a year."[461] The author
justifies the creation of that tax as follows: "Liverpool, London,
Glasgow owe their existence and their prosperity to their respective
situations, which are natural advantages and which ought not in
justice to be enjoyed solely by those who live upon the sites. Every
town and village in the country contributes to the prosperity of every
other part. The nation is a unit; its resources and its obligations
should be mutually shared."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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