Thursday, December 13, 2012

Tax Rates Over The Years

When I heard that France's new president intends to raise the tax rate for millionaires (those making above €1 million or $1.3 million) to 75%, I wondered what our highest tax rate was here in the US, for the top tier. I found this graph that shows the top tier in the US (making over $200,000 at the time) paid 91% all through the 1950s!



Source: The Truth About Taxes: Here's How High Today's Rates Really Are
"Importantly, this was one of the most successful eras in US economic history [the 1950s and early 1960s]. The middle class boomed, the economy boomed, and the stock market boomed. And all with the top marginal income tax rate over 90%."
...
"Super-low tax rates on rich people also appear to be correlated with unsustainable sugar highs in the economy - brief, enjoyable booms followed by protracted busts. They also appear to be correlated with very high inequality. (For example, see the 1920s and now)."
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2 comments:

  1. One of the many things Repubs don't want folks to know (and which, in fact, our history-challenged populace is largely unaware of).

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  2. I'm going to count myself in that history-challenged group. But catching up has been jolly good.

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