Hey everyone
I hope this isn’t classified as too politcal, but here goes:
I’ve been watching the inheritance tax debate in Switzerland ( the JUSO proposal to tax inheritances over 50 million CHF), and I noticed something strange:
Many people earning totally normal salaries are passionately against it.
They say things like:
- “If we tax the rich, they’ll leave and hurt the economy.”
- “We shouldn’t punish success.”
- “Today it’s the rich, tomorrow it’s us.”
But the proposed tax literally only affects fortunes above 50 million(!), I would claim that no one in here and almost no one in general will ever even see, let alone inherit that much money.
So I can’t help but ask:
Why do so many working class people defend the ultra-rich from taxes that won’t affect them at all? (or do they?)
I’m not asking this rhetorically, I’m genuinely curious what other Mustachians think.
Is it:
- Fear of a slippery slope?
- Some version of “I might be rich one day”?
- A belief in trickle-down economics?
- Just general anti-tax sentiment?
As people who value financial independence and economic realism, how do you see this issue?
Are inheritance taxes on the ultra-wealthy a smart way to reduce long-term inequality of wealth?
Or are there legit downsides that I’m missing?
Curious to hear your takes.