'Tax people who don't have children'. Oxford academy's proposal facing opposition
The birth rate in Great Britain, as in much of the world, is falling. In the future there will be great problems of finding the labor force. An Oxford academic's solution is: Tax people who don't have children.
In an article published by the Sunday Times this weekend, demographer Dr. Paul Morland presents some suggestions for stimulating families to have more children and to have them early rather than late in life.
"Put a tax on those who have no offspring. This may seem unfair to those who cannot have children, but we all rely on the existence of a future generation, and everyone must contribute to the cost of creating that generation," he writes.
According to him, these funds the United Kingdom can use to fix the broken and expensive care system in later years.
Civil society people, journalists and other professionals who have or do not have children have opposed this proposal. Some write directly and others with irony.
Argument 1
If you want to have children but can't, you're in luck. At least you have the desire. You will have to pay the state tax while also trying to save for infertility treatments. This treatment costs 5 thousand pounds for a cycle and without feeling too much it is being removed from the reimbursement.
What if you don't want children at all? Well, you deserve to be punished financially for being so selfish. This is what it looks like…
Argument 2
The UK has one of the worst childcare supports in Europe, with parents now paying an average of more than £7,000 a year just for a part-time nursery. In some areas of the country, it is even higher.
Almost two-thirds of families pay more, or the same, for childcare as they do for rent or a home loan.
So charging people without children - to reduce these costs is not really the answer.
Argument 3
While the author of "Alonement", Francesca Specter asked on Twitter: "What hell is this? In the context of the repeal of Roe v Wade in America – which has eradicated women's legal right to an abortion and has already forced women to continue with unwanted or unsafe pregnancies – this news seems even more bleak.”
Argument 4
Journalist Harry Kind said: "Will the tax start at 18 or would you prefer to tax only the 30-year-olds without children? And does it stop after menopause? What if you get a divorce? What if I have an adopted child and I didn't bring him into this world myself, will you tax me again? Or will you forgive me? What if my child dies? Will you tax me for being childless? Will everyone be taxed or only women?"