From: Ernesto Screpanti (screpanti@UNISI.IT)
Date: Wed May 19 2004 - 03:11:17 EDT
At 06.40 13/05/2004 -0400, you wrote: >Hi Ernesto. > > > In the Manifesto Marx and Engels also proposed a fiscal > > policy based on "a heavy progressive or graduated income tax". > > Both measures are envisaged as part of a process of building of > > a communist society. > >Right. But, so long as capitalist relations of production prevail, what >is the impact of a heavily progressive income tax on the accumulation >of capital? I do not precisely know. But I do not think it would dramatically impair it. > > It is interesting to note that Engels interpreted progressive taxation > > as embodying the principle "from each according to his ability". > > On the other hand, the public provision of goods at low or zero > > price allocates resources on the ground of the principle "to each > > according to his needs". > >Perhaps M and/or E miscalculated about _which_ demands can only >be realized after a workers' revolution? In the _Communist Manifesto_, >free public education for children was also a policy change proposed >after the insurrection, yet (despite recent neo-con efforts at privatization >of the school system, e.g. in India) this demand was already realized >in most capitalist social formations long ago. Yes. My opinion is that it was realized as a consequence of the workers struggles, "the real movement that abolishes the present state of things" > >In solidarity, Ernesto
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