Peoples views on how the government should conduct its financial operations are heavily influenced by their political philosophies. - Harvey S. Rosen

"Welfare" in the United States is a patchwork of more than 80 programs that provide benefits primarily to low-income individuals. These programs are means tested - only individuals whose financial resources fall below a certain level can receive benefits.

A second justification for corporate taxation is that the corporation receives a number of special privileges from society, the most important of which is limited liability of the stockholders. The corporation tax can be viewed as a user fee for this benefit.

Plato argued that in a good society the ratio of the richest to the poorest person's income should be at the most four to one.