Scenario 20-3 Suppose That a Society Is Made Up of Five Families

question 436

Multiple Choice

Scenario 20-3
Suppose that a society is made up of five families whose incomes are as follows:
$120,000; $90,000; $30,000; $30,000; and $18,000.
The federal government is considering two potential income tax plans:
Plan A is a negative income tax plan where the taxes owed equal 1/3 of income minus $20,000.
Plan B is a two-tiered plan where families earning less than $35,000 pay no income tax and families earning more than $35,000 pay 10% of their income in taxes. The income tax revenue collected from those families earning over $35,000 is then redistributed equally to those families earning less than $35,000.
-Refer to Scenario 20-3. Assuming that utility is directly proportional to the cash value of after-tax income, which government policy would an advocate of utilitarianism prefer?

• A)Plan A
• B)Plan B
• C)either Plan A or Plan B
• D)neither Plan A nor Plan B because any plan that forcibly redistributes income is against the philosophy

---

Definitions:

Collective Violence

Acts of violence committed by groups of individuals, often driven by a common purpose or ideology.

Major Crimes

Serious criminal offenses that typically involve violence or significant harm to individuals or property, such as murder, rape, or burglary.

Political Citizenship

The status of being a citizen, including rights, privileges, and duties associated with participating in the political process of a country or community.