Only ways to rise in a UBI society where AI is supposed to replace intellectual work is crime and prostitution. Smart people who want better lives than the average will have to get into crime.
A UBI society doesn't mean jobs aren’t available. There most certainly will be jobs. But with UBI and universal healthcare, the jobs can pay whatever the market really demands. People always complain about the government subsidizing low Walmart wages for example, but with UBI that argument is moot. Liberalizing the labor market wouldn’t mean less jobs, it would mean more (we would also have to lean more on corporate and consumption taxes rather than taxes around employment which would also make employment easier).
Wealth taxes require liquidating investments early and don’t promote good practices, especially if they are applied broadly. I would opt for a tax on loans instead (you have to prepay tax on loans that use investments as collateral and no more step up in basis on death).
The rich will just move to a different country, negotiate with a Swiss canton for a fixed sum tax. I don't see how a tax that punishes wealth is sustainable, the wealth will just go somewhere else.
US currently hold enough power to make them paying their debts oversees too.
Also, I think it is equilibrium of interests of all involved parties: rich pay 0.5%/y of wealth tax, population is healthier, country is stronger and protects interests and safety of rich. The problem is mostly to make them realize this.
> US currently hold enough power to make them paying their debts oversees too.
The US is increasingly a less relevant country every year. With a wealth tax, yes, all those Americans will have their wealth eventually confiscated (0.5% a year will add up quickly year after year, investments will unwind so wealth will stop accumulated, and eventually it's gone), but I doubt the rest of the world will care and just move on and decide crazy things that happen in the US are like the crazy things that happen in Iran.
So, your argument is that badly implemented wealth taxes lead to capital flight?
Sure, we all agree.
The solution is pretty obvious, just implement a wealth tax that prevents capital flight.
It’s not that hard. The US already taxes its citizens abroad. A well-implemented wealth tax would be charged regardless of where you live or where your money is. If you are a US citizen you get taxed. Then you slap an exit tax on citizenship revocation and you’re good to go.
Not hard, simple, we already have systems in place to enforce it.