- Question
Should billionaires pay more tax?
Should the very wealthy face higher taxes? This entry sets out the two positions on whether billionaires should pay more tax — that they should, and that they should not — weighing fairness and revenue against incentives and avoidance.
Position 1 of 2
Read this position →Yes, billionaires should pay more tax
This position holds that those with the greatest wealth should contribute a larger share, on the grounds that very large fortunes rest on public infrastructure and legal protection, and that revenue raised at the top costs the wider economy least.
Position 2 of 2
Read this position →No, billionaires should not pay more tax
This position holds that raising taxes on the very wealthy is self-defeating, because mobile capital and avoidance limit what can actually be collected, and because taxing accumulated wealth discourages the investment that creates employment.