Really Learning from the Past: Tax is the Price We Pay for a Civil Society

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1 Really Learning from the Past: Tax is the Price We Pay for a Civil Society Thaddeus Hwong Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies York University Nov. 23, 2011

2 We are acting on a new vision of the role of government... smaller government... smarter government. [Bold added here for emphasis] Fraser Institute quotes Paul Martin as saying in his 1995 Budget Speech We are acting on a new vision of the role of government in the economy. In many cases that means smaller government. In all cases it means smarter government. [Bold added here for emphasis] What Paul Martin actually said in his 1995 Budget Speech

3 The fact is that the free market system works, but unless governments and people are constantly on the watch out for rampant inequality, unless they understand the need for redistribution programs, unless they understand the need to invest in education and better health care and a better environment, then effectively the free market system will fall on its own accord. [Bold added here for emphasis] Paul Martin Huffington Post, Nov. 18, 2011

4 Rising tides lift some boats only Adjusted Income of All Family Units (2009 Constant $) Average Income Median Income Gap Between Average Income and Median Income Source: CANSIM

5 Canada faces rising income inequality.45 Gini Index Based on Adjusted Income of All Family Units Market Income Total Income After-tax Income Source: CANSIM

6 The top 1% income share surges; it wasn t always like this Top 1% Income Share (Including Capital Gains) The Gilded Ages to 1929 The Compression to 1947 The Golden Age of Capitalism to 1975 The Great Divergence to 2010 U.S. Canada Australia

7 Top 1% income share up in some lower-tax countries since 1949 Top 1% Income Share Excluding Capital Gains (%) US Argentina UK Singapore Germany Canada Norway Ireland Around 2005 Around 1949 Japan India Australia France Sweden Finland New Zealand Switzerland Netherlands Source: Anthony B. Atkinson, Thomas Piketty, and Emmanuel Saez, Top Incomes in the Long Run of History, (2011) 49(1) Journal of Economic Literature, 3-71.

8 In past four decades, Canada s tax ratio rose less than 6% Portugal Denmark Italy Spain Turkey Sweden Switzerland Finland Belgium Greece Norway Japan Luxembourg Austria Iceland France New Zealand Australia Netherlands Germany Canada United Kingdom Ireland United States Change in Tax as Percent of GDP, Source: Calculated based on OECD data; 2008 data used for Australia, Japan, Netherlands and Portugal.

9 Top marginal tax rate down to 46% from 80% Combined Federal-Provincial Personal Income Tax Rates for Ontario Residents (%) Taxable Income in 1960 (1 $ = 7.54 $ in 2010) $1,377 $400,000 $301,600 $188,500 $452,400 $678,600 $942,500 $1,696, Rates 2010 Rates $10,383 $3,016,000 Taxable Income in 2010 ($)

10 Effective tax rate for top 1% same as bottom 10% Total Rax Rates in 2005 (%) Bottom 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 90% to 95% Economic Families by Income Percentiles 95% to 99% Top 1% Source: data from Eroding Tax Fairness by Marc Lee in 2007 of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. See

11 Canada s tax ratio dipping below OECD average Sweden Tax as Percent of GDP France OECD Canada

12 Public expenditures Canada, 40% of GDP; others, 50% Total Government Expenditures Total Government Revenues Percent of GDP, Iceland France Denmark Sweden Belgium OECD Canada

13 Top 10% owns 50% of wealth in Canada Share of Total Wealth in 2005 (%) Bottom 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Top All Families by Wealth Decile Source: data from Revisiting Wealth Inequality by René Morissette and Xuelin Zhang in December 2006 issue of Perspectives on Labour and Income published by Statistics Canada.

14 Is the free market system failing? Change in Share of Total Wealth in (percentage point) Bottom 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Top Families by Wealth Decile Source: data from Revisiting Wealth Inequality by René Morissette and Xuelin Zhang in December 2006 issue of Perspectives on Labour and Income published by Statistics Canada.

15 Canada needs more progressivity, not less.45 Gini Index Based on Adjusted Income of All Family Units Market Income Total Income After-tax Income Source: CANSIM