Do you agree with this quote from one of our founding fathers?

Question

“Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometric progression as they rise."

Thomas Jefferson

Answer 1

I do not agree. At least not in the context you are trying to portray his quote. It was meant to encourage the ownership private property, not to endorse socialism.



It has been proven time and time again throughout the world socialism and communism ultimately fail, and fail horribly. In many cases resulting in the deaths of thousands, if not millions.



But I am partial to another quote of his: "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty."



I find it somewhat disingenuous when people of your ideology try to find every way they can to discredit the Founding Fathers, call them racists, etc., but then turn around all of a sudden and tote them around like they have respected them all along when they believe they've found a way to distort a message in order to discredit their opposition. "abbaugebieter" is a prime example, no matter how well his grammar may be. Nice try though.

Answer 2

The American Revolution was very much about the distribution of power. From the most open and democratic societies to the most closed and authoritarian, great personal wealth provides great power. Thomas Jefferson was among those Founding Fathers concerned about the long term survival of a democracy that did not take active measures to thwart the natural tendency of power and privilege to concentrate in the hands of those already powerful and privileged. The excerpt above does not actually demand progressive taxation, but it is a sensible musing on how progressive taxation would be an effective counterweight -- a means to check and balance the power of the extremely wealthy.



If the loudest voices in modern American politics had some small fraction of Jefferson's wisdom, they would be raised in unison to debunk the "favoring wealthy investors is the only way to create jobs" nonsense so popular today. If entrepreneurs really abandoned their dreams and stopped building businesses in an environment with a top marginal income tax rate of 35% or 39% or even 50%, then there would be no commerce in much of the rest of the civilized world, including all of Western Europe. A move toward a much more progressive tax code in the U.S. would not actually serve as job-killer, save to the extent that know-nothing rabble-rousing alarmists might spread baseless fears and undermine confidence among consumers and employers.



Barring extremes like U.S. tax policy from the Eisenhower administration through the Carter administration, progressive taxation is not even much of an an impediment to the concentration of wealth. That concentration has accelerated dramatically in the past decade, but it was an ongoing process even after Bill Clinton signed into law higher taxes for our nation's most fortunate citizens.



Perhaps Jefferson would have seen the Eisenhower to Carter era as a golden age of fair and just taxation, since only top marginal rates near 90% prevented the already rich and powerful from tending to become much more rich and powerful through nothing more constructive than reaping the rewards of ownership. Unfortunately, being so rich and powerful, the least ethical of our plutocrats are happy to support all manner of bogus political arguments in order to maintain an unusually low top marginal income tax rate along with outrageously low taxes on investment income declared as capital gains.

Answer 3

Sure. It was pertaining to tax cuts to encourage the private property ownership. It was from a very different era when taxation was not as confiscatory as it is today. Poor Jefferson. How they love to pick and choose his quotes.



How about this one?



“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.”

-Jefferson



Or this?



“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.”

-Jefferson



Or this?



“If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.”

-Jefferson



Or this?



“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny”

-Jefferson



Or perhaps this?



“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

-Jefferson



Or...?



“If Americans ever allow banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children will wake up homeless”

-Jefferson





*

Answer 4

What's the rest of the context? That quote is a statement that is more like a description or definition, but it does not tell us what his personal preference is.



Other Jefferson quotes:



"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government. "





"I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive. "



"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. "



"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world. "



"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. "



"Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits. "







Which serves to suggest that Jefferson supports a limited government, the less the better. That means even if he supports the idea your quote shows him talking about, it would still mean that he favors limited taxation overall and small cheap government.



What I don't like currently is the justification for wanting to raise taxes on the high incomes being that they don't pay their fair share. That's just bull as they already pay well over what "fair" would be. It's one thing to say it's necessary, but to claim that they aren't paying a fair share is just ridiculous.

Answer 5

Source?

Answer 6

I respectfully disagree with Mr. Jefferson. However I would like to point out, to you, that taking one sentence from the entirety of that letter to Mr. Madison, is in fact taking the quote out of context. Jefferson was not a socialist. I'm sorry to burst your bubble. He is simply pointing out 1 of many solutions to what he sees as a problem.

Answer 7

Yes, I agree with it, and Political Enigma shows a profound ignorance of American history with her post. At the time of Jefferson, wealth was defined by the amount of property owned since it was property that generated income. Those without property didn't have much at all.

Answer 8

definite I do Thomas Jefferson in specific understand that those countries over the pond would desire to by no skill be depended on and history has proved him terrific suited merely look at how they have activate Israel immediately yet at one time they {Brits and frog] have been working with Israel to take over the Suez canal Dalan T Jefferson reported proper to the comparable That the Brits used the savages in fact in our statement of independence between the reason given to break with the king became into he became loose the savages who killed no longer taking good care of age or gender They have been certainly savages they did no longer have the wheel nor speaking leafs [written notice'] study up on the beaver wars The Brits betrayed them via by no skill pointing out them in the two peace treaties [!776 and 1812]

Answer 9

I am not an American but think that Thomas Jefferson was one of the finest humans, a role model for all to follow.



That quotes sounds like him, and yes I agree only tax people once they can afford to pay and the more you earn the more you should help the poorer

Answer 10

Do you have any idea what the quotation means? Jefferson's quote pertains to progressive taxation. I think it's a great idea, and the teabaggers dislike the idea.

Answer 11

It's clearly setting out the idea of progressive taxation, just as every civilised nation practices today with most forms of tax.

Answer 12

Yes but apparently Thomas Jefferson is just spouting leftist rheoric according to the conservatives.

Answer 13

All you liberals now form a circle and pat each other on the back. Be proud that you have come to the solution of taking it from those who earned it and giving it to those who did not. Liberals.

Answer 14

You do realize he is only referring to property owners, correct?

So using your inane logic everyone who chooses not to own property would be exempt.



I know you go to public school dear, but could you please try to learn something logical and rational in your spare time rather than simply regurgitating leftest rhetoric that has no application in reality?



Go ahead and block me again, Oh and don't forget the hateful comment, I need a new one to add to my profile :)



@Onlooker, thanks for the regurgitation. Would independent thought kill you? Seriously, did you even read my post before spewing your idiocy?

Answer 15

You do, I hope, realize he was discussing France under a King and landed nobles, where people were not free to start their own businesses or buy land.



The U.S. is entirely different.

Answer 16

Too bad you believe that as it is not going to happen with the Liberal class war 0bama's wants!

Answer 17

I would like to know this too

Answer 18

Sound arguments here.

Answer 19

Thomas Jefferson was a Slave Owner, and I hope he is Burning in Hell.



Because he was pure evil.