According to most Economics textbooks, progressive taxation is the fairest form of taxation. The intended effect of progressive taxation is to confiscate value from the rich and give it to the poor, disabled, retired, etc.

The argument justifying the practice goes like this, "is it fair to allow Dangote to make billions more than he needs when Mallam Onisuya doesn't earn enough to feed his 10 children or educate them for a brighter future?"

I wonder if we can apply the same logic a different field: WAEC and NECO exams: "Is it fair to allow brilliant JAMBites attending good private schools to score above 90% in their WASSCE and NECO exams when they only need 75% to score the highest grade (A1)? Why not take those excess marks and distribute them to dull students who, because they are too poor to attend good schools, (or just dull) end up scoring less than 40F in the exams? Why not take the 'excess' 15% from Mary Smart and add it to John Dull's below 40% score so he can also pass?

We can also apply it to the JAMB/UME Exam: Is it fair to allow extremely brilliant students to score above 300 marks in the University Matriculation Exam when they only need maybe 280 marks to beat the cut-off mark? Why not take their 'excess marks' and award them to poor students who have failed to score above 200 marks?

Let us refer to this innovative idea of mine as Exam Score Redistribution. If it is fair to tax rich people at a higher rate than poor people in order to redistribute wealth, why can't we also redistribute exam scores?

If it's inhumane to suggest that rich people shouldn't be taxed more, isn't it also inhumane to suggest that over- brilliant students shouldn't be taxed on their excess scores? How will very dull students ever pass their exams?

We can also apply it to the JAMB/UME Exam:  Is it fair to allow extremely brilliant students to score above 300 marks in the University Matriculation Exam when they only need maybe 280 marks to beat the cut-off mark?  Why not take their 'excess marks' and award them to poor students who have failed to score above 200 marks

>.>.>.> and turn out half baked graduates.Its bad enuff as it already is!

Let us refer to this innovative idea of mine as Exam Score Redistribution.  If it is fair to tax rich people at a higher rate than poor people in order to redistribute wealth, why can't we also redistribute exam scores?  

Seun abeg try sumthing else.This theory of yours is fundamentally flawed!!


** reades post again and reches for the fone to call OBJ**

hmmm,

should I agree with you on this one?

Tax could be fixed. Taxation would become very straight forward.

On a second thought, have you thought how that would affect the average standard of living?
Inequality is a major reason why we live in houses with metal bars to prevent unwanted entry.

Flawed: Exam scores cannot be redistributed because that would make every one eligible for admission into universities.

@ Hugoboi
you seem to have thrown both the plate and its unwanted contents in the bin.

Seun:


I wonder if we can apply the same logic a different field: WAEC and NECO exams:
"Is it fair to allow brilliant JAMBites attending good private schools to score above 90% in their WASSCE and NECO exams when they only need 75% to score the highest grade (A1)? Why not take those excess marks and distribute them to dull students who, because they are too poor to attend good schools, end up scoring less than 40F in the exams? Why not take the 'excess' 15% from Mary Smart and add it to John Dull's below 40% score so he can also pass?

We can also apply it to the JAMB/UME Exam: Is it fair to allow extremely brilliant students to score above 300 marks in the University Matriculation Exam when they only need maybe 280 marks to beat the cut-off mark? Why not take their 'excess marks' and award them to poor students who have failed to score above 200 marks?

Let us refer to this innovative idea of mine as Exam Score Redistribution. If it is fair to tax rich people at a higher rate than poor people in order to redistribute wealth, why can't we also redistribute exam scores?

If it's inhumane to suggest that rich people shouldn't be taxed more, isn't it also inhumane to suggest that over-brilliant students shouldn't be taxed on their excess scores? How will very dull students ever pass their exams?

and ur point is?
are u suggesting that students' exam scores be arbitrarily reduced? or that scores should be awarded to a possibly blank sheet (john dull's) pls help me understand. cos right now, u aint making the slightest sense.

Seun:

Why not take those excess marks and distribute them to dull students who, because they are too poor to attend good schools, end up scoring less than 40F in the exams? Why not take the 'excess' 15% from Mary Smart and add it to John Dull's below 40% score so he can also pass?

Pls let's make a very clear distinction between dullness and educational disadvantage ocassioned by poverty and the poor educational infrastructure and services that go with it.
That I attended Igbo Elerin High School ^{don't know if such exists} doesn't exactly make me dull and does not necessarily have to negatively impact on my overall academic performance even though I have an idea what Seun is gunning at here.
Your idea/theory is definitely not a feasible one. It's a lot more logical to address the educational sector and reduce the monumental gap/chasm between the elitist/private and public school settings such that poverty has little bearing on the quality of education available to the average Nigerian child. Redistribution of marks is sure not the way out of the morass.And who determines who gets what extra marks anyway?

I'm in support of the theory in the context of taxation however as long as we can come up with the political will to implement it.

are u suggesting that students' exam scores be arbitrarily reduced?

The compassionate argument: "isn't it selfish [/b]of you to score above 90 marks when your mates have below 40?"

or that scores should be awarded to a possibly blank sheet (john dull's)

The compassionate argument: "is it John Dull's fault that his [b]brain is blunt? We should give him our spare scores!"

and turn out half baked graduates.Its bad enough as it already is!

The compassionate argument: "that is harsh and inhumane! How will those half-baked graduates feed if we don't turn them out? If we don't allow dullards to graduate, how will they survive in life? How will they get jobs?"

I'm in support of the theory in the context of taxation

My main point is that if the concept is right in the context of taxation, it should be right in other similar contexts!

As the mercyful and Gracious owner of the land I frankly agree with you.

But my own suggestion is that you try this new idea of yours In Ogun State

in the land .If it works out successfully, then it can be spread abroad.

I don't think you guys get the sarcasm .His point is that the justification for progressive taxation when applied to other spheres of life exposes its absurdity.

Here in the UK,income above £40,000 is taxed at 40% while below that is taxed at 22%.Its basically a tax on success and a disincentive to work hard to surpass the 40,000 mark

@ seun
now i see that u are joking

Oh my! I've been had.

I however still believe taxation can be made to follow the forementioned course,my reason being that most of the wealth we're talking about here were not made honestly anyway.Those with some degree of honesty still had some "connection" factor that puts Mr A well ahead of Mr B in the scheme of things.
On a level terrain,u'd be surprised that Seun's Mallam Onisuya who presently can't feed his kids well might do much better than Aliko Dangote.

Oh my! I've been had.

Hehe.

On a level terrain, Seun's Mallam Onisuya who presently can't feed his kids well might do much better than Aliko Dangote.

I doubt it. If Mallam Onisuya was financially responsible, he would practice family planning and not have 10 kids!

Does it mean that this progressive taxation makes the rich get poor and the poor get rich?

Why would Mallam onisuya give birth to that much when he doesn’t have the means of providing them with basic amenities of life?

How can u share marks for the dull children when they did not merit it?
No one is burn dull except if its naturally disability, but our upbringing is what affects our brains,

Ma guy I want you to remember that this examination is just to ensure that the limited spaces available in our universities goes to the bright student who will not waste it.

Dull students can always go for cheap courses that will need less brain works.

THIS IS MY OWN OPINION !

@Seun
A lot of people here don't get your analogy. Its about taxes (Right?) and not education at all (just used to contrast).

Your view is not nouveau.

What you fail to notice is that government does realise this. But because Government too has to be run on the basis of sound business practice, the practise persists.
Now you tell me if you sell a product or service which of your customers would you sell to for a margin? Those who can afford it of course. Its all part of a pricing strategy.

So government 'sells' its product and services (providing good roads, schools healthcare etc) to everybody. And although it probably cost the same to provide the services to everybody Rich or poor, successful or suffering, they sell at a 'margin' to those that can better afford it.

You may say it is a tax on success. But if I was an Okada rider I would charge you N50 in V.I and Ikoyi for a trip that would normally cost N20 in Phi Niger.

@ Seun is this supposed to be a joke? I dont believe this. 'Exam score redistribution' *scoffs*.

By the way Seun, good idea but many people will disagree with it because they somehow believe that grades are representative of some individual ability, which isn't really true.

@ Donzman cld u be more explicit pls? hw isn't grades representative of some individual ability?

. . .Because grade could depend alot on upbringing, the kind of school you went to, environment or even pure luck. Just like ncome can depend on inheritance, luck, environment!

Yeah whateva. If u've got it then its urs luck, nurture or whateva. that makes it individual

You don't really get it, mabe someone will explain, I don't have the mental energy!

I get what U r sayin bt u aren't phrasing it right. Perhaps u don't have the 'literary energy'?

If you understand what he's trying to say, then what is the problem? All he's trying to do is make you understand.

Talkin to me? Seun pls leave me and Donzman alone o what if i was tryin to hit on him?

i think bolarge already addressed the disingenuity of the analogy.

for one progressive taxation is meant to address amongst other things the supposed inequities of the wider society of which grade disparity might be one.