Tax rise is key to making people feel happier, Archbishop claims
RAISING taxes will make people happier, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said at the launch of an Institute for Public Policy Research report.
Speaking at the think tank’s launch of its report on finance and inequality yesterday, the Archbishop, the Most Rev Justin Welby said that prosperity was driven by well-being as well as income.
He suggested that higher taxes could fund the improvement of the environment and culture, which could im- prove overall happiness.
The report was published by a commission set up two years ago by the Left-leaning think tank, which also included the TUC and economists.
Among its 73 recommendations, it suggested putting workers on company boards, an increase in corporation tax and higher pay for workers on zero-hours contracts, as well as regulating digital media firms.
The commission reported that in the decade since the financial crisis, the living standards of tens of millions of people had “stagnated”, young people had seen life chances deteriorate, and the economic gulf between London and the South East and the rest of the country had widened.
The Archbishop said: “Prosperity depends on the security and quality of work, and the balance of work and life, the quality of our relationships, and not just about the amount of income we receive. It rests on the common good as well as individual well-being.”
The “common good” included elements such as political discourse, science and culture, and protecting the environment, he added.
“Public safety and security, clean air and beautiful natural environments, public parks and spaces, arts and culture, the sense of belonging to a community – these are all important contributors to individual well-being; but can only be enjoyed if we pay for and secure them collectively.
“For these reasons, the very nature of public goods highlights the importance of public taxation in contributing to public, shared prosperity.”
Senior figures in the Church of England have previously said people should pay more taxes, with the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev John Sentamu, suggesting that taxpayers should be allowed to voluntarily “top up” their income tax to boost public spending.
He urged large tech companies to pay a “proper” share of tax, telling the BBC: “They should pay a fair amount based on the revenues that they earn … If we are going to have a hope-filled future … everyone has to contribute who takes from this country. Everyone has to put things back and they have to put it back most of all in tax.”