tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post3214394728455002858..comments2023-11-02T07:54:22.317+00:00Comments on Unenlightened Commentary.: The Public Loves Taxes!Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02263275229285861236noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-53596635406118086652009-08-20T21:57:17.998+01:002009-08-20T21:57:17.998+01:00Oliver- I've heard that claimed although I'...Oliver- I've heard that claimed although I'm not really sure how true that is or whether it implies a direct causal relationship.Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02263275229285861236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-22978913688893977922009-08-20T21:50:12.420+01:002009-08-20T21:50:12.420+01:00Matthew- that's agood graph, I'll include ...Matthew- that's agood graph, I'll include in an update unless you object.<br /><br />MW- I think you are correct by it's interesting that such a small number of people appear to agree.<br /><br />James- "Are you on holiday or something?"<br /><br />No but it feels like it this week.Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02263275229285861236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-3046237441611343862009-08-20T19:19:59.458+01:002009-08-20T19:19:59.458+01:00Are you on holiday or something?Are you on holiday or something?James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-51944305838394095902009-08-20T17:21:42.355+01:002009-08-20T17:21:42.355+01:00There's also a positive correlation between co...There's also a positive correlation between countries with relatively high taxation levels and overall levels of happiness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-15219233579398884332009-08-20T13:29:09.953+01:002009-08-20T13:29:09.953+01:00I was going to say roughly the same as everybody e...I was going to say roughly the same as everybody else. But it's a handy chart and all.<br /><br />The real issue is that few people realise a fifth of government spending is pure waste on quangocracies and so on. I'm happy to keep the other four-fifths steady, it's the £100 billion-plus waste that bothers me.Mark Wadsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-86778511898955240942009-08-20T11:22:39.711+01:002009-08-20T11:22:39.711+01:00You seem to have missed out the Major government i...You seem to have missed out the Major government in your learned economic history there.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13214026669109045616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-77489703866427666682009-08-20T11:00:34.106+01:002009-08-20T11:00:34.106+01:00It would be interesting to see the figures back fu...It would be interesting to see the figures back further. As it is, we see the early Thatcher years (ie after Labour profligacy) as being in favour of low tax. Then as the Conservatives get the economy moving again the people grow more comfortable and willing to hand over more of their money to the state. That results in a Labour government. The economy tanks and people resent paying taxes and the process resumes.TDKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27939552.post-74775823951732738162009-08-20T10:44:08.995+01:002009-08-20T10:44:08.995+01:00Reasonable correlation (negative) with public spen...Reasonable correlation (negative) with public spending as a % of GDP. <br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjtphotos/3838804153/sizes/o/<br /><br />Certainly as Thatcher cut (relatively, whatever) support grew for tax and spend, then as Labour spent, it declined. The aberation, albeit it one of level not shape (if you squint)is the Major government, where public support was always higher than you might expect, even when spending surged. Maybe because of the recession? Or because the opposition to higher spending was left to the loony brigade of Redwood, Marlow and Gorman?Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13214026669109045616noreply@blogger.com