Is progressive taxation fair?

Student: Professor: Course title: Date: Is progressive taxation fair? According to Weller and Rao (12), progressive taxation refers to a type of tax system designed to put the greatest tax burden on the richest people. This means that those who make the most money would pay the highest tax. Weller and Rao added that the chief reason for the establishment of progressive taxes is to attain fairness in taxation (17). In a progressive taxation system, those who make more money should pay more taxes, whilst those with lower income should pay little in taxes. In the United States, income tax paid by citizens is progressive and is based on income levels, as income levels rise, so do the tax levels (Oishi, Schimmack and Diener 22). Some think that progressive taxation is fair, while others think otherwise. Those who think that progressive taxation is fair use the following arguments. First, they argue that it is fair since it is based on the people’s ability to pay taxes. Another argument is that people who earn more money should contribute more to the nation than those who earn less, and would cite substantial amount of money made by people such as bankers as evidence of this (Oishi, Schimmack and Diener 28). Thirdly, progressive taxation is fair because it levels the playing in terms of standards of living and per capita income. The fourth argument is that those who obtain the greatest benefit from the state or country should pay the most for those benefits. To them, it is fair to pay more for being a millionaire in that country, than for being a mere middle-class, adding that it is the economic system provided in that country that made the high-income possible, therefore those who earn the most should pay the most (Weller and Rao 31). On the other hand, those who view progressi...