Fat Man/Fit Town

I think the Libertarians are right. We should all succeed or fail on our own. No help from other people, most especially that proxy for everyone else, The Government.

So I propose the following:

Give all citizens a “grub stake” at birth. They can use it for their basic expenses, including education, until such time as they can work for their own living. Everyone would then truly have equal opportunity. Some would fail, of course. But that would be their own responsibility. Many more would succeed in growing new businesses, producing goods and services that others really want. Overall, according to the economic theories of the Chicago and Austrian Schools, the economy would grow stronger, a rising tide lifting all boats, as it were.

Of course, since everyone is responsible for their own success, inheriting wealth must necessarily be forbidden. As I said, equality of opportunity must be real. We must not have a government enforcing equality of outcome; outcome is predicated only on the result of one’s own ingenuity and labor. Being born wealthy is a matter of luck, which defeats the whole point of a true meritocracy.

Therefore, I propose funding the grub stakes with a 100% estate tax.

That seems fair, doesn’t it?