Democracies shouldn't abolish death tax

I HAVE noted with interest mentions of estate duty, or 'death tax', in recent editions of The Straits Times. They have mostly been arguing in favour of abolition of these taxes and I would like to offer a different viewpoint, based on a more-democratic and less-capitalist stance.

One should keep in mind some things with respect to wealth. One is that while hard work is certainly a major factor in achieving wealth, it's not the only thing; personal or family connections, favourable government regulations and even luck play a part, especially at the highest levels of wealth.

It's very unlikely that a person with $5 million in assets is much different in intelligence, diligence and skill from a person with $500 million in assets.

And people at those levels of wealth (and greater) owe much to people much less fortunate than they, whether they realise it or not.

The second is that wealth begets wealth, and wealth also wields considerable power in determining the laws, and the very future, of a country.

It's a cycle that, once started, tends to concentrate power in a very few hands, hands that are not necessarily motivated to assist, or even concern themselves with, those less fortunate.

One very important function of government, at least in a democratic society, is to ensure that power is never concentrated in a small number of people, and that opportunity is equally available to all.

Democratic elections are not sufficient to ensure this, as wealth can strongly influence elections (in the United States, for example, elections are consistently won by the candidate who spends the most money on advertising).

Government needs to step in and redistribute wealth to ensure a reasonably level playing field, and to ensure that families are not able to create perpetuated dynasties that eventually prevent the normal democratic process from working.

Estate duty is a very important part of this redistribution of wealth, and helps ensure that a democratic society remains democratic, rather than being controlled by a handful of very wealthy families.

It is healthy and reasonable to debate at what level of wealth heavy estate duty should occur, but it's my opinion that it's hazardous to a democratic society to abolish estate duty. It serves an important role in the ecology of democracy.



Peter Duniho

Curbishley to Ferdinand: You have no future here

LONDON - MANAGER Alan Curbishley has told defender Anton Ferdinand he has no future at West Ham.

The pair were at the centre of a huge dressing room bust-up after the Hammers' 0-4 embarrassment by relegation rivals Charlton last Saturday.

The whole squad and coaching staff held a post-mortem after the defeat, where accusations flew and tempers flared, reported The Sun.

Curbishley reportedly stated that many of the club's top players would be sold at the end of the season.

When Ferdinand demanded he named names, Curbishley yelled out: 'You'.

The manager then walked away to avoid a further confrontation.

Fans are already so fed up that they want the club to scrap the Player of the Year award.

An online petition blamed the 'lack of effort and despicable attitude shown by the majority of the squad'.

The Hammers' survival bid looks doomed, as they are only a point ahead of bottom club Watford, three points behind Charlton and nine points adrift of safety.

This latest morale-sapping spat only makes it worse for a club that could get points docked for fielding ineligible players.

Already, the Hammers have to resign themselves to missing out on the one player who could possibly have made a difference.

There were hopes that striker Dean Ashton, who has yet to kick a competitive ball since breaking his ankle on England duty in August, was on his way back.

But the 23-year-old has admitted he is still way off being fit despite returning to light training

Privately, the club's medical staff have given up on the £7.25 million (S$21.75 million) star playing this season.

'I'm not even thinking about match-fitness at the moment,' Ashton said. 'It takes a long time for your ankle to get used to having weight on it.

'I want to get across that it's not a simple bone injury. I have been out for 61/2 months now and it's just not right yet.

'I am absolutely desperate to play, but there is no point in rushing it.'

West Ham are also being investigated by the Premiership over whether the signings of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez last summer broke rules on the ownership, and possible influence, of players by a third party.

Although the League has yet to charge West Ham, it considers the situation potentially more serious than Middlesbrough's failure to field a side in 1997, reported The Daily Mail.

That season, Bryan Robson's side were docked three points for not playing against Blackburn owing to illness and injury to 21 players. The penalty led to the club's relegation.

It is alleged that West Ham officials failed to produce key documents relating to the transfers of Mascherano and Tevez, even after the Premiership requested them.

Club chairman Eggert Magnusson intends to fight any charge by claiming the offences were committed before his takeover.

Magnusson's predecessor, Terry Brown, who was in charge when the rules were allegedly broken, resigned from the Upton Park board on Tuesday.

Defeat at home against bitter rivals Spurs on Sunday will all but condemn West Ham to Championship football next season.

With just one win in 11 matches since taking over, Curbishley looks certain to make big changes again.

He will at least be able to pick his strongest defence, with Matthew Upson expected to recover from a calf injury to partner Calum Davenport. Lucas Neill is also expected to return from a knee injury.

News Today

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Lampard insists he was right to join the brawl

LONDON - FRANK Lampard insists he has no regrets over his role in Sunday's League Cup brawl.

The Chelsea midfielder's spat with Arsenal's Francesc Fabregas was a major part of the stoppage-time fracas.

He, along with the Arsenal midfielder, received a yellow card for his altercation.

The unsavoury brawl, in which both managers ran on to the Millennium Stadium pitch to calm the situation, was sparked by John Obi Mikel's challenge on Arsenal captain Kolo Toure.

The Arsenal player reacted violently, even though referee Howard Webb had awarded a free kick to the Gunners.

As they squared up to each other, the fighting spilled over to other players, with Lampard and Fabregas involved in an ugly confrontation.

Once the situation cooled down, Webb sent off both Toure and Mikel, as well as Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

There had been suggestions that Lampard should have been dismissed too.

However, he insists that he only did what he felt was right, in order to help out his colleagues.

He told football 365.com: 'This was a game both teams wanted to win.

'However much you want to criticise what happened at the end, and say it should not happen, we should all be happy it was a great battle.

'You back your teammate up and it escalates, it is as simple as that.

'Maybe when I sit down tonight, I will probably say I wish it hadn't got that far.

'But, when you are in the heat of the moment, it does go that far.

'It was a moment when you have to show restraint, and I think I showed enough restraint not to get a red card.''

The Chelsea vice-captain also collected the trophy in the absence of skipper John Terry.

The England captain was rushed to hospital, losing consciousness after being kicked in the head accidentally by Arsenal's Abou Diaby.

But the England captain checked out of hospital and returned to the stadium to join in the celebrations.

Two goals from Didier Drogba sealed a 2-1 victory, and Chelsea's second League Cup triumph in three years.

Lampard revealed the full horror of Terry's, as the medics battled for five minutes to bring him round.

He told teamtalk.com: 'He looked very bad. He was out cold but his eyes were flickering a little bit.

'It is not as bad as it could have been. It is not nice to see and there is panic, especially after the last couple of weeks when John has been playing with an ankle that is bad.

'You feel for his safety first and foremost.

'These things can stick in your mind and that is the worrying thing.

'It is easy with hindsight, but we got the news just after the game that he was okay and on his way back.'

News Today

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Fuck lah, go read something ok!

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