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Progressive Taxation: Applying Hayek’s Constraint

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>04/2011
<mark>Journal</mark>The Political Quarterly
Issue number2
Volume82
Number of pages9
Pages (from-to)222-230
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

That progressive taxation might offset a disproportionate burden of indirect taxes upon low income households sits at the heart of a suggestion from Friedrich Hayek. This concerns the manner in which a degree of progression might be accommodated and constrained to preclude arbitrary tax hikes upon minority income groups. While Hayek's proposal is permissive of socialist aims, it looks for efficiency in resource usage as reflected in the aspiration ‘that each should feel that in the aggregate all the collective goods which are applied to him are worth at least as much as the contribution he is required to make’.