The DNC Platform and Inequality

As the Democratic National Committee convention wraps up in Philadelphia, I took some time to look over the party platform’s planks on inequality. Iain Murray and I counsel a “People, Not Ratios” philosophy on inequality in our recent study; the Democratic platform mostly takes the opposite approach.

Iain and I argue that from an ethical standpoint, the mathematical difference between rich and poor is irrelevant. What matters is making sure that all people, especially at the economic bottom, have enough to live comfortably and securely. The DNC platform instead is about ratios, ratios, ratios: “most new income and wealth goes to the top one percent (p. 3),” “the top one-tenth of one percent of Americans now own almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent combined (p. 10),” and so on. Some of the policies it proposes to reduce inequality ratios include:

  • Tax hikes on the wealthy. This would have the unintended effect of leaving less capital for small businesses and startups. The wealthy tend not to hoard their wealth like Scrooge McDuck or Smaug the dragon from The Hobbit. They invest most of their wealth, and as it circulates throughout the economy, and small-scale entrepreneurs, innovators, and other value creators benefit—as do their consumers.
  • Tax breaks for favored corporations. Intentional or not, this would be very good for lobbyists, and hardly anyone else.
  • Tax hikes for disfavored corporations. Ditto, as unpopular industries descend on Washington to try to avoid punishment. If the federal government is going to have a corporate tax, it should be as simple and uniform as possible. Of course, the ideal corporate tax rate is zero—companies pass on their costs to consumers, so it’s really you and me who pay corporate taxes, not GE or Microsoft.
  • A $15 hourly minimum wage. Iain and I discuss this in our other recent paper, “The Rising Tide.” Higher minimum wages would help some workers, but with severe tradeoffs. Some workers will find themselves working fewer hours, or even fired. Other workers, especially younger workers, will never be hired in the first place, denying them the chance to gain skills and experience that can lift them up the economic ladder as they get older. This could potentially increase inequality ratios over the long run. Workers would also see fewer on-the-job perks, such as free parking and meals, flexible vacation policies, and so on. The minimum wage is not a free lunch.
  • Expanded collective bargaining. Again, some workers will get a raise, but at others’ expense. Fewer jobs, higher consumer prices, and more are all among the tradeoffs. And again, increased unionization could increase inequality by giving privileges to union members at non-members’ expense.

Progressives and classical liberals share the same goal when it comes to poverty—ending it. Achieving that goal requires people across the political spectrum to focus more on people, and less on ratios. In that respect, the DNC platform has a long way to go. The most effective policies involve eliminating barriers to entrepreneurship. These include reforming occupational licensing requirements that now affect a third of American workers, as President Obama has suggested. We also recommend clearing vast swathes of the 175,000-page Code of Federal Regulations. Other helpful policies include affordable energy, easy access to capital, and a commitment to an honest price system. For more policy ideas, see Iain’s and my recent papers.