Table of Contents
Directions
Your professor is teaching a class on Economic. Write a post responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should:
- express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words - An effective response will contain at least 100 words. You have ten minutes to write.
Class Discussion
Today, we are discussing a controversial topic in economics and public policy. Apart from the challenges of tax enforcement and evasion, should wealth taxes be implemented on billionaires to fund public infrastructure and services?
I believe wealth taxes on billionaires are necessary because these taxes can provide essential funding for public infrastructure like roads, schools, and hospitals. Billionaires often have wealth that grows faster than the economy, so taxing them helps redistribute resources to benefit society. For example, many countries struggle with underfunded services, and taxing the richest can alleviate this problem efficiently.
While I agree that public services need funding, I think wealth taxes may discourage investment and economic growth. Billionaires might hide their wealth or move it to countries with lower taxes, reducing the overall tax revenue. We should explore alternative funding methods that do not risk hurting business incentives or creating loopholes.
Sample Answers & Evaluation
🏆 Perfect Score – The Sniper Approach (30/30)
While Ben warns that wealth taxes may discourage investment, he fails to consider the fundamental mechanism by which wealth taxes can actually facilitate more equitable growth. The core issue lies in addressing the disproportionate accumulation of capital that stifles social mobility and infrastructure development. Why does unchecked wealth concentration persist? Because billionaires often exploit tax loopholes, leaving public services chronically underfunded.
Take France’s recent implementation of the Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière (IFI), a tax on real estate wealth, which has funded significant improvements in public housing and transportation. This case exemplifies how targeted wealth taxes can facilitate necessary public investments that benefit the broader society, without severely harming economic autonomy or incentives.
Thus, implementing wealth taxes on billionaires addresses not just revenue needs but also fosters a paradigm shift towards fairer resource distribution, which ultimately supports sustainable economic development and inclusive public infrastructure enhancement.
Teacher’s Feedback
Score: 30/30
Logic: This student identifies the logical flaw in Ben’s argument by focusing on how wealth taxes combat capital concentration, not just investment fears. The essay uses a specific example (France’s IFI tax) and explains deeply why wealth taxes help society.
Golden Vocabulary: facilitate, paradigm shift, autonomy
🏆 High Score – The Standard Approach (25/30)
I think wealth taxes on billionaires should be used to fund public infrastructure and services because it is a fair way to help society. Billionaires have much more money than most people, and taxing a small part of their wealth can create important resources for schools, hospitals, and roads.
For example, if a country collects more money from the richest people, it can improve education and health care for everyone. This can help reduce social problems and give more people better opportunities. Although some people worry that billionaires might move their money to other countries, governments can create rules to prevent this.
Therefore, wealth taxes are a good tool to help fund public services and make society more equal.
Teacher’s Feedback
Score: 25/30
Logic: This essay has clear ideas and good grammar but lacks specific real-world examples and deep explanation. The vocabulary is simpler, and it doesn’t challenge the opposing argument strongly.
Golden Vocabulary: infrastructure, resources, opportunities