Wealth taxation in defense of equal citizenship
Hosted by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Past Event
Wealth inequality is often discussed in terms of its economic effects rather than its political implications. But money is a form of power, and the wealthy exert an outsized influence on politics. Wealth taxation has the potential, therefore, not only to reduce the concentration of economic power in America, but to strengthen democracy itself.
On Monday, May 2, the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center hosted an event considering wealth taxation as a tool of democratic reform. Jeremy Bearer-Friend, associate professor of law at George Washington University Law School, and Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, presented their new paper, exploring and updating an underappreciated wealth tax proposal made by the American revolutionary, Thomas Paine, in his 1792 book, “Rights of Man.” Phyllis Taite, professor of law at Oklahoma City University School of Law, addressed the potential effects of wealth taxation on the racial wealth gap, and Rakeen Mabud, chief economist at the Groundwork Collaborative, discussed how taxation fits into a broader reconsideration of economic policy’s political and social purposes.
Viewers submitted questions for panelists by emailing events@brookings.edu or via Twitter with #WealthTax.
Agenda
Welcome and introduction
William G. Gale
The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy
Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Director - Retirement Security Project
Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Panel discussion
William G. Gale
The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy
Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Director - Retirement Security Project
Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Jeremy Bearer-Friend
Associate Professor of Law - George Washington University Law School
Rakeen Mabud
Chief Economist and Managing Director of Policy and Research - Groundwork Collaborative
Phyllis Taite
Professor of Law - Oklahoma City University School of Law
Vanessa Williamson
Senior Fellow - Governance Studies
Senior Fellow - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
More Information
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