In Korea, recently the increase in welfare benefits is the most important social issue. At the General Election in April, all the political parties proposed their welfare programs. Their generous programs need enormous amount of money. How can the gov...
In Korea, recently the increase in welfare benefits is the most important social issue. At the General Election in April, all the political parties proposed their welfare programs. Their generous programs need enormous amount of money. How can the government finance the money? The increase in taxes is not easy and unpopular. So political parties did not mention about it.
The discipline of public finance is very important, especially when welfare spending increases. And the increase in welfare spending should not impair the economic growth.
In this perspective, the distributive justice of Henry George and John Rawls is worth being studied comparatively, because both of them have influenced the policies and intellectuals in Korea much.
George insisted that the land should not be the private property, and belong to the community and its best way is the land value taxation(LVT). LVT means the 100% taxation on all the land rent.
I compared the LVT and the principles of justice of Rawls, that is, principles of liberty, the equality of opportunity, and difference. The result is that LVT cannot resolve the problems of poverty and economic inequality satisfactorily, therefore it is insufficient principle of justice. The principle of justice of Rawls is more comprehensive, and that of George is more special. Both principles of justice can be compatible and harmonious to promote the welfare system in Korea.