Xue

I just wanted to share something worth thinking about regarding society and wealth.

"The income tax, according to the Bahá'í teachings, mounts at quite a steep rate so that great sums of money would be very heavily taxed. But the individual is free to make his will as he pleases. What he has laboured for he has the right to dispose of. The greater the sum inherited, the higher the tax will be."

(11 February 1944, on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)

arthra

Xue.. Thanks for sharing that!

Here is another reference as well:

Each person in the community whose income is equal to his individual producing capacity shall be exempt from taxation. But if his income is greater than his needs he must pay a tax until an adjustment is effected. That is to say, a man's capacity for production and his needs will be equalized and reconciled through taxation. If his production exceeds he will pay no tax; if his necessities exceed his production he shall receive an amount sufficient to equalize or adjust. Therefore taxation will be proportionate to capacity and production and there will be no poor in the community.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 37)

Xue

The implications of this type of tax system is quite large. If the more money one makes the more taxes one pays - at a steep incline - then it encourages people who want to give to the community to be the ones who want to make much money. In other words, the system advanced here encourages community minded individuals to take on lucrative positions in society, where as our current economy attracts selfish people to make a lot of money.

Sboyce

which is why we are working toward the realization of oneness of mankind and society

aidan

I am no Marxist but his theory was good"from each according to his means to each according to his needs" however nobody has succeeded in putting it into practise fairly

arthra

Aidan,

You may like to rtead a section entitled "Cooperation" in Foundations of World Unity,


The mystery of this phenomenon, the cause thereof is this, that mankind has been created from one single origin, has branched off from one family. Thus in reality all mankind represents one family. God has not created any difference. He has created all as one that thus this family might live in perfect happiness and well-being.

He is in need of continuous cooperation and mutual help. For example, a man living alone in the wilderness will eventually starve. He can never, singly and alone, provide himself with all the necessities of existence. Therefore, he is in need of cooperation and reciprocity.


Regarding reciprocity and cooperation: each member of the body politic should live in the utmost comfort and welfare because each individual member of humanity is a member of the body politic and if one member of the members be in distress or be afflicted with some disease all the other members must necessarily suffer.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 37

aidan

Thanks brother Arthra, a marvellous resource

aidan

Obviously another of Baha'u'llah's qualities is economic astuteness