96 Part 1 Classical ideas
Fundamental Is the form of Is the form of Is the form of Does the form of
question: taxation likely to taxation taxation taxation help to
support the consistent consistent alleviate
difference with the with the right to exploitation of the
principle? right to self-ownership? workers?
self-ownership? (Bear in mind
that right and left
libertarians have
different
definitions of
self-ownership)
Progressive Yes No No Yes (but other
income tax taxes are better)
Flat-rate No (or very No (but less No No
income tax unlikely) problematic than
a progressive
income tax)
Sales tax (on No (unlikely) No (direct No (but less No
all products) interference in problematic than
‘transfer’) income tax)
Sales tax on Yes (probably) No (direct No (but less Yes (but other
luxury items interference in problematic than taxes are better)
‘transfer’) income tax)
Property Yes (probably) No (direct No Yes (but other
purchase tax interference in taxes are better)
‘transfer’)
Capital gains Yes (probably) No (direct No (unless the Yes (strongly)
tax interference in capital gain
‘transfer’) results from
changes in site
value)
Inheritance tax Yes – almost No (direct No Yes (strongly)
certainly interference in
‘transfer’, such
as bequests)
Site value tax Yes (probably) No Yes (strongly) Yes (but other
taxes are better)Liberal Right Left Quasi-Marxism
egalitarianism libertarianism libertarianism