| ironman said: Let's also remember that Iceland swerved to the left....and now, they are paying for it. I ask you, how can you get a job if the government is STEALING money for people who could have use it to pay you, and then giving it to unenployed people. how does that help anybody? |
In a typical industrialized nation the upper class recieves significant tax benefits when they invest their money into job creation. This is why many rich people hardly pay taxes at all. The working class recieves various benefits from the state (such as education), and the value of these benefits typically exceeds the tax money they pay. All of which means the middle class are the ones that ends up paying the welfare bill.
Now since the main function of the middle class is to offer society highly specialized academic skills (rather than create jobs), there are no economical reasons not to tax the middle class hard and give the money to the poor. And no, studies have shown that financial incentives are not needed in order to encourage people to get an education. The increased social status is incentive enough.
Giving a 100 dollar bill to a lawyer has no effect on his happiness. But give a 100 dollar bill to a beggar on the street and it *will* increase his happiness. This is why a certain re-distribution of wealth from the middle class to the poor will increase overall happiness in a society. And that is one of many reasons why welfare makes sense.
Of course you may oppose such re-distribution of wealth for moral/religious reasons, but then at least be honest about it. The government spending money on welfare isn't going to ruin the economy any more than spending money on property protection or defence.
And BTW Iceland has never "swerved to the left" anymore than the rest of western Europe/Canada/Australia.
