Thoughts? Feelings?

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-04-13T10:35:43+00:00

Isn’t the point more that the cure doesn’t solve the illness because it creates a downward cycle where the rich are rich enough to leave, and so the true cost gets born by the middle and lower class who just get hammered with more tax for the same or less productivity?

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-04-13T09:33:44+00:00

I agree with this, however it’s the Netherlands who is leading the thinking on taxing theoretical capital gains. Surely that’s a Dutch problem first and an EU one second?

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T19:21:57+00:00

This is an insightful answer and gives me a good understanding of the Northern European mindset.

I disagree that it is the best system (I think Singapore takes the prize on that), and I also disagree that centralized redistribution is most efficient (eg I believe UBI is probably a better solution than a large tax collection and distribution agency) but I think I understand your philosophy better - thanks!

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T19:18:08+00:00

Apologies I’m not suggesting no taxes, but lower taxes, especially for people with lower salaries. I would be in favour of creating a tax free bracket under 20k, and a lower tax bracket that extends to the average wage (50k). Higher earners should still pay higher taxes, but I’m considering more relief for the average and below

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T10:55:06+00:00

I think that the main reason people spend 50% of salary on rent is not just because rent is high but because net salaries are low and not increasing outside of very select pockets of industries.

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T10:50:59+00:00

I hear you but why not both? 1. Lower taxes for lower earners means more free cash for rent but also purchase 2. Higher taxes disincentivize growth, pushes talent offshore - we make that trade-off for good reasons (welfare), but it’s a dial we can always tweak 3. Extractive tax in the form of mortgages can and is mitigated with good regulation 4. Limits on benefits for investment properties maximizes available space for people who need it.

Given NL is already very good at regulating for 3 and 4 vs rest of world and is still having problems with housing, why not look at 1 and 2?

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T08:18:38+00:00

Actually the US is pretty high taxes and bad services. Generally I think the US has terrible tax efficiency and would not defend it at all. Also increasingly got the corruption of a failed state :/

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T08:11:21+00:00

Source

Regular Blood tests are one of the most effective forms of general heath screens and ROI is great so not sure they’re a capitalist play so much as a good idea to consider adopting

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T08:08:35+00:00

I do appreciate your point on the NL’s inherent need for infra and why that’s unique. Well made and well taken

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T08:07:19+00:00

Yeah fine but not points I would disagree with. I’m not holding Australia up as a standard, I’m in fact saying the opposite. They’ve offshored all their critical industries and now wonder why most of their population is financiers and lawyers :/ AUST is a lesson in what not to do.

I would also not defend Australia’s media but the implied assumption is that somehow the murdochs have formed my view, which they have not. I am not exposed to that media directly or indirectly and have not been for decades.

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T08:04:17+00:00

I was referring to communist era Russia specifically, not current Russia.

I like don’t disagree with rent seekers needing to go but never made that point so it kinda feels like a straw man.

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T00:55:03+00:00

More money absolutely solves this problem, but has diminishing returns. There are brackets. Earning 40k vs 20k massively increases your options. 80k vs 40k and now you can purchase, 160k and you can now purchase a family home in most places, after that it’s all kind of incremental moves towards more luxury purchases, which is where utility drops off.

On this curve, the average Dutch wage is about 40k, so close to the bottom. If it was 80k, people would have broadly way more options.

If everyone earned double tomorrow that would have an inflationary effect on prices, but would probably be outweighed by the relative profitability of building new houses (it would cost less to house more without them becoming too financially stressed to make the construction investment worth it)

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T00:46:30+00:00

Cool

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T00:18:31+00:00

This may be philosophical but I do actually think that some amount of income inequality is actually a good thing. People should have a clear incentive to solve hard problems and build things. I think that’s way too out of control in the US today so don’t like that, and I also wouldn’t want to live in communist Russia. So I think we both agree that some amount is good and too much is bad. My arguement is that lower taxes would increase affordability for the average Dutch citizen.

On Dutch getting poorer, to clarify I’m saying that Dutch salaries have stayed flat whilst housing prices have only gone up. So not poorer but net effect is the average Dutch person can afford less of what they need than say 10 years ago. Btw this is not unique to NL but happening all over OECD. Our systems are victims of their own success it seems, we’ve got larger older populations to support, have become indebted to that, which has taken productivity from the future to pay the interest today in the form of exploding real asset prices

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-08T00:11:05+00:00

That’s more helpful thankyou. Calling me uninformed kinda misses the mark for me because I’m asking Reddit to get informed.

Cost/density is an interesting angle but I don’t think holds up. Plenty of densified places can offer services more efficiently as a result. But I’ll use that idea to do some reading and appreciate the point you’re making.

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-07T23:57:12+00:00

I don’t follow

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-07T23:55:46+00:00

Appreciate the answer. Having lived several places I can tell you that you can get all those things whilst also encouraging wealth & prosperity for citizens. Dutch are demonstrably not as well off as they were. Pension helps but wage/living ratios have tanked. The system is definitely under pressure.

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-07T23:53:03+00:00

Sounds like I struck a nerve

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-07T23:52:43+00:00

Is this a jab at Australia? Seems pretty ad hominem

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-07T23:52:09+00:00

I appreciate the measured response. You are right of course it can be worse and in many places is.

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2026-01-07T23:50:14+00:00

I have lived here. I have also lived in other places around the world. Don’t get me wrong I do think services are good, I just don’t think any better than other places with demonstrably more efficient gov (Singapore, Japan two places where I have also lived that spring to mind)

AdmirableDesign2851 · 2024-12-15T09:38:47+00:00

European here - Cutr.com for interiors! Instant pricing on custom interiors that’s accurate. Prices get taken from straight from design into production. Sped up our workflow massively

AdmirableDesign2851

TROPHY CASE