Another French Revolution is breaking out, and for similar
reasons as previous. An out of touch royalist is imposing oppressive
taxes on the peasantry for the good of the nation. The peasants are
unimpressed by the claims of moral superiority and necessity.
As I’ve said before in respect of a Canadian carbon tax, any
tax of a rigour sufficient to “change behaviour” would lead to an outbreak of
violence. Some “behaviors” are an all-or-nothing affair, like driving to
Toronto to work; and only a tax severe enough to make work in Toronto
uneconomic could change that “behavior.”
Well, French President Macron swallowed all the climate
change kool-aid and imposed taxes on fuels severe enough that driving to work
and driving for work are now becoming uneconomical. A proposed future
increase on carbon fuels sparked rioting in Paris. Protests by Macron
that he is putting the working and middle classes out of work for the good of
the world fails to impress the rioters, who still have to pay the rent and put
food on the table.
The Canadian carbon tax is also an exercise in
virtue-signalling. It won’t change behavior in the manner desired because
it won’t be rigorous enough. M. Trudeau is not as far out of touch as is le Président
de la République française. Still,….
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment