Adam Smith Institute

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It's about power, it's always about power

Polly Toynbee tells us all that it’s pretty cool when rich people give away goodly portions of their wealth:

Because these are dark days in a bleak winter, Covid-stricken and Brexit-paralysed, let me introduce you to a couple who will raise your spirits. Frances Connolly and her husband, Patrick, were living in a rented terrace house in Moira, County Down when, on New Year’s Day 2019, they won the EuroMillions jackpot of £114.9m, one of the highest payouts ever. Since then they have engaged in one of the biggest lottery giveaways ever, according to Camelot, the lottery operator.

The Connollys are expending their resources in the manner they wish to. Nothing for us to complain about there. Polly does, however, have a complaint:

But as she knows, charity is not an answer to inequality. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and George Soros do admirable good, but their philanthropy is no excuse for out-of-control mega-wealth that should be capped, taxed and spent on priorities set by democratic governments.

Polly insists that us people out here should not be allowed to dispose of our own resources as we wish. Instead, above some level of pocket money, all should be determined by the political process. You know, the one that Polly is a part of, Polly influences and the one where Polly would have power over where the money was directed.

That is, Ms. Toynbee prefers a system in which she gets to determine - in part - what happens to your property. Sure and we all desire to have power over others but it’s the duty of liberals to restrict that, not drool over such an imposition.