Nov
4
“ロチェスター大学の経済学者で「ランチタイムの経済学」の著者でありSlate.comのコラムニストでもあるスティーヴン・ランズバーグは、「フェア」な価格の問題点を説明する次の話を書いている。私(ランズバーグ)の夕食の連れはお金持ちは負担するべきフェアな税額よりも少ない額しか払っていないという確信に燃えていた。私は彼女の言う「フェア」とは何を指し示すのか理解できなかったので、はっきりさせるために質問をぶつけてみた。ジャックとジルが同じ量の水をみんなで使っている井戸から汲み上げるとしよう。ジャックの所得は1万ドルで、10%の税金として1000ドルを井戸の存続のために支払っている。ジルの所得は10万ドルで、5%の税金として5000ドルを井戸の存続のために支払っている。税制的にどちらの方向に不公平なのだろうか?…私はこれらのタームの問題についてとてもたくさん考え続けていて、今も自分の答えに確信が持てずにいる。それが私が税制の公平性について審判を下すのにためらってしまう理由だ。もし私が2人の人間と1つの井戸だけの世界で何が公平なのか語れないのだとしたら、どうやって2億5000万もの人々と何万の公共サービスが提供されている世界で何が公平なのか語れるというのだろう、と。
(University of Rochester economist Steven E. Landsburg, author of The Armchair Economist and Slate.com columnist, writes the following story which illustrates the problem of “fair” prices: My dinner companion was passionate in her conviction that the rich pay less than their fair share of taxes. I didn’t understand what she meant by “fair,” so I asked a clarifying question: Suppose that Jack and Jill draw equal amounts of water from a community well. Jack’s income is $10,000, of which he is taxed 10%, or $1,000, to support the well. Jill’s income is $100,000, of which she is taxed 5%, or $5,000, to support the well. In which direction is that tax policy unfair?…I have thought about the issue in those terms quite a bit and am still unsure of my own answer. That’s why I hesitate to pronounce judgment on the fairness of tax policies. If I can’t tell what’s fair in a world with two people and one well, how can I tell what’s fair in a country with 250 million people and tens of thousands of government services.)” Free Trade Vs. Fair Trade | Global Envision
(University of Rochester economist Steven E. Landsburg, author of The Armchair Economist and Slate.com columnist, writes the following story which illustrates the problem of “fair” prices: My dinner companion was passionate in her conviction that the rich pay less than their fair share of taxes. I didn’t understand what she meant by “fair,” so I asked a clarifying question: Suppose that Jack and Jill draw equal amounts of water from a community well. Jack’s income is $10,000, of which he is taxed 10%, or $1,000, to support the well. Jill’s income is $100,000, of which she is taxed 5%, or $5,000, to support the well. In which direction is that tax policy unfair?…I have thought about the issue in those terms quite a bit and am still unsure of my own answer. That’s why I hesitate to pronounce judgment on the fairness of tax policies. If I can’t tell what’s fair in a world with two people and one well, how can I tell what’s fair in a country with 250 million people and tens of thousands of government services.)” Free Trade Vs. Fair Trade | Global Envision
