Taxing the Rich – A History of Fiscal Fairness in the United States and Europe

"This book pulls together a vast array of evidence and develops a collection of compelling arguments that enhance our understanding of the prospects for redistributive taxation in modern economies. Drawing from a wealth of different country experiences, Taxing the Rich will appeal to a wide range of readers in economics and political science and inform current policy debates."--Timothy Besley, London School of Economics

"This is a fascinating book. In a comprehensive and accessible manner, Scheve and Stasavage trace the rise and fall of sharply progressive taxation of income and inheritance in America, Europe, and Japan over the past century. They stress the key role played by mass mobilization and compensatory claims and provide critical insights into the conditions that could lead to the return of high tax rates on the rich. A must-read."--Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century

"Scheve and Stasavage provide a thoughtful historical and comparative perspective on the key question of why countries choose to impose high taxes on the rich. In this important and timely book, they elegantly challenge several common theories that seek to explain why countries increase taxes on the wealthy. Their findings nicely explain past tax treatment and provide a sobering prediction of future tax burdens for those at the top of the income and wealth distribution."--Eric M. Zolt, UCLA School of Law

"Why have the rich been spared greater taxation despite the massive rise in inequality that has occurred in advanced democracies in recent decades? This fascinating book provides a clear answer: governments tax the rich not to undo inequality, but to compensate for sacrifices being asked of the non-rich. Taxing the Rich is a model of social science research, firmly grounded in systematic data analysis as well as historical case studies."--Dani Rodrik, author of Economics Rules: The Rights and Wrongs of the Dismal Science

"This thought-provoking book combines historical erudition and statistical analysis to reinterpret the rise and fall of progressive taxation. It persuasively argues that mass wars gave rise to the 'conscription of wealth, ' and it suggests that today's asymmetric crises are unlikely to generate broad support for more taxation of the rich."--Bernard Salanié, author of The Economics of Taxation

"Scheve and Stasavage provide an engaging analytical history of taxation of the rich in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe from 1800 to the present. There is no doubt in my mind that this terrific book will be widely read, cited, and discussed."--Jonas Pontusson, author of Inequality and Prosperity: Social Europe vs. Liberal America

"Taxing the Rich makes a provocative argument about an important topic."--Nolan McCarty, coauthor of Political Bubbles: Financial Crises and the Failure of American Democracy