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Practice what you preach: the failure of the welfare state and the discovery of total equality through capitalism

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  • Jeffrey Overall

Abstract

Using the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory and organisational theory as the theoretical foundation, I show how excessive taxation creates disincentives for individuals to reach their full economic potential. According to findings from the extant literature and, also, a case example from the Canadian economy, high taxation is shown not only to cause a decline in entrepreneurial activity, but also to lead to the perpetuation of the marginalisation of the economically disadvantaged. It further results in an unfair distribution of wealth from the high-income households to the low- and middle-income earners. To address this sociological predicament, total equality for all members of society is argued to be achievable through free-market capitalism. Future directions are suggested and recommendations for practice are discussed.

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  • Jeffrey Overall, 2017. "Practice what you preach: the failure of the welfare state and the discovery of total equality through capitalism," International Journal of Public Policy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 13(1/2), pages 69-85.
  • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijpubp:v:13:y:2017:i:1/2:p:69-85
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