Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T17:17:59.070Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

8 - Who Has the Deepest Pockets?

from Part III - HOW COVID-19 CHALLENGES US TO CHANGE

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2021

Simon Szreter
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Get access

Summary

With the chancellor apparently committed to a future balancing of the books, this chapter looks at what this means for future fiscal policy. It details the pressing future spending needs as we build back from the pandemic, address the much discussed ‘levelling up’ of our country and face up finally to the costs of an ageing population. It shows that there is a clear appetite for spending more on public investment and services, even if this means higher taxation. This has been apparent in survey data for decades, although receives precious little media coverage. While tax rises are not appropriate during the COVID-19 recovery phase, there nevertheless needs to be a conversation about how to support a future more active public sphere. Measures already announced to freeze public sector pay and increase income tax thresholds affect ordinary workers. The case is put that there should instead be a radically revised approach to wealth taxation, addressing anomalies in how capital gains and income are taxed and tapping into the enormous rise in household wealth during the neoliberal years, now widely seen as unfair. Newly published research shows this can raise money just as effectively as increases in income tax or VAT.

Type
Chapter
Information
After the Virus
Lessons from the Past for a Better Future
, pp. 193 - 207
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×