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'''Income redistribution''' is the act or government policy of transferring [[wealth]] from richer individuals to poorer individuals.  It takes two forms: ''voluntary income redistribution'' (otherwise known as [[charity]]), and ''compulsary income redistribution''.

'''Income redistribution''' is the act or government policy of transferring [[wealth]] from richer individuals to poorer individuals.  It takes two forms: ''voluntary redistribution'' (otherwise known as [[charity]]), and ''compulsary redistribution''.

Some [[conservative]]s (such as [[Ayn Rand]]) oppose all forms of income redistribution, believing that a person should only receive in income what they are able to earn through the markets.  They believe that [[charity]] does harm both to the giver (by depriving him of what he earned), to the receiver (by not encouraging him to ''earn'' money), and to society as a whole (by taking money away from those who have shown themselves able to use it effectively, and giving it to those who have shown themselves incapable of using it effectively.

Some [[conservative]]s (such as [[Ayn Rand]]) oppose most forms of redistribution, believing that a person should only receive in income what they are able to earn through the markets.  They believe that [[charity]] does harm both to the giver (by depriving him of what he earned), to the receiver (by not encouraging him to ''earn'' his sustenance), and to society as a whole (by taking resources away from those who have shown themselves able to create employment for others, and giving it to [[prodigal]]s.

Other conservatives favor ''voluntary'' income redistribution through charities, but oppose ''compulsary'' income redistribution, which they see as an unjust interference with private property rights.

Other conservatives favor ''voluntary'' redistribution through charities, but oppose ''compulsary'' redistribution, which they see as an unjust interference with private property rights.

[[Liberal]]s generally support both forms of income redistribution.  Their position is premised on the [[egalitarian]] and/or [[Marxist]] view of [[economic justice]], that it is unjust for individuals to have grossly different incomes.  Because market systems naturally create these inequalities, and because of their belief that charity cannot adequately counter these inequalities, liberals believe that some degree of compulsary income redistribution is necessary in a just society.

[[Liberal]]s generally support both forms of income redistribution.  Their position is premised on an [[egalitarian]] view of [[economic justice]], that it is unjust for individuals to have grossly different access to economic resources.  Because market systems can at times create these inequalities, and because of their belief that individual charitable giving cannot be relied upon to counter these inequalities, liberals tend to advocate some degree of compulsary redistribution of resources as necessary.  

Examples of government programs performing compulsary income redistribution include [[welfare]] and [[progressive taxation]].

Examples of government programs performing compulsary income redistribution include [[welfare]] and [[progressive taxation]].

[[Category:Economics]]

[[Category:Economics]]