Why does the United Kingdom have very foolish tax policies?

Well, it does have remarkably clueless politicians. But let’s also put part of the blame on the country’s suicidally stupid voters.

Consider this new polling data.

Big majorities of Labour and (especially) Green voters in the United Kingdom are in favor of hurting poor people, so long as rich people are hurt even more.

In other words, Margaret Thatcher was absolutely right. Many folks on the left are utterly consumed by envy and resentment of success.

For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time British voters have confessed their desire for punitive class warfare. 

I shared some polling data back in 2012 with similar results. In that case, majorities of Labour and Liberal Democrat voters said they favored higher tax rates even if the economic damage was so significant that the government didn’t collect any revenue.

I’ve never seen these questions asked in the United States, but I worry that American leftists would have the same views as British leftists.

For what it’s worth, all decent people should cheer for growth instead of opting for envy.

P.S. It’s very depressing that some voters who are economically clueless. It’s disgusting when an international bureaucracy such as the IMF makes the same arguments. On more than one occasion!

P.P.S. I need a stronger version of the Eighth Theorem of Government.