Dr. Hossam Badrawi Official Website
I see that there are two different philosophies that deal with social justice: the first philosophy deals with social justice as a result that must be reached regardless of the justice of the means, as communism did, and as some politicians in Egypt are now calling for. The second philosophy deals with social justice as justice of equal opportunity and reward for effort, and at the same time making certain services and rights available to all, such as education, health care, public transportation, sanitation, and clean water, for example, regardless of income disparity. It is the closest philosophy to my mind and sentiments in achieving a known limit of rights, and at the same time rewarding work and recognizing the multiplicity and different abilities and livelihood.
Studies and experiences have proven that economic policies that support investment in human resources and equal opportunities contribute to supporting economic growth, employment, and achieving social justice, more than just taking from the most capable of distribution to the least capable.
Equal opportunities are achieved through spending on a basic education system that does not discriminate between the rich and the poor or marginalized, a basic system of health services that does not discriminate between classes, decent public transportation to work through investment in infrastructure, and a transparent business climate that prevents monopoly and protects and guarantees small business owners. In the productive process and in creating decent job opportunities and generating income for their families. If the government plays its role in laying the brick of equal and transparent opportunities available to all, then everyone contributes through their work to achieving economic growth (increasing the size of the pie)- and income growth for all workers through reaping the fruits of economic growth in which all workers contribute- i.e. a greater share of the pie. For every diligent. Through the fruits of this growth, there is an opportunity to redistribute a percentage of it to the Muhamasheen as they are defined.
A young woman who dreamed of tomorrow asked: Who is responsible for achieving social justice?
I said: Achieving social justice in this concept falls on the state as a regulator and guarantor of rights, and on the citizen who is able to use his money to create new job opportunities, and the worker with his effort and mastery of his work to achieve more income and prosperity for him, his family and society.
Such policies aimed at achieving economic growth and social justice require huge resources, efficient management, and a clear vision for the state and policy makers. My words mean that the new republic, in its philosophy, is a direct partner in setting social justice policies and in building the capacities of individuals and community institutions and their understanding of their roles.
The first young man returned to ask: Where does the tax system fall in achieving justice?
I said: Establishing an efficient and fair tax system faces several challenges in developing countries, which represent small businesses and informal businesses that do not contribute to paying taxes the largest share of the economy, in addition to the evasion of many free professions in light of a weak tax system that is not possible, and therefore not Able to inventory and official collection through receipts. For example, in Egypt, we will find that less than twenty percent of institutions pay more than eighty percent of taxes, not only because the collection system is inefficient, but because these individuals and small enterprises are outside the scope of the radar of regulation and follow-up.
Taxes are not an end in themselves, nor are they a punishment for the rich just because they make profits, because the state is not a for-profit corporation. Thus, the required levels of tax revenues vary from country to country, depending on its ability to provide services decided by society. The goal of social justice is originally determined by the areas of public spending, and taxes play an important role in achieving this goal.
So, the role of taxes in achieving social justice is achieved by efficiently financing aspects of public spending in an equitable manner for the poor and the able alike. Taxes are fair to the poor in that they are participatory and symbiotic..meaning that the poor has a share of the income of every hardworking person who earns work and shares a specific percentage of his income for public spending to support social solidarity and fair empowerment of opportunity, and is fair to the able because it achieves economic efficiency, so it does not eliminate the incentive to work or cause investment to flee. Job creator.
We must bear in mind that Egypt is competing with other countries in attracting investment to the Egyptian market, because our own capacity, at least at the present time, will not be able to create a million jobs annually to accommodate the needs of the rising population. The growth of investment and the collection of taxes from its profits contribute to the provision of services and a business climate that enables everyone to produce, innovate and grow. The greater the ability to work, produce, and make profits, the greater the growth rates, the larger the economic pie, and the wider the tax base – that is, the higher levels of taxes due to the increase in the number of workers on the one hand, and the increase in incomes resulting from economic growth – and from here, it is clear that tax policy must achieve an optimal mix of economic efficiency and social justice.
According to my non-professional understanding, taxes are divided into three basic types: income taxes, consumption taxes, and service user taxes. In industrialized countries, the greatest share of financing comes from income taxes, then consumption taxes of all kinds, such as sales tax and value added, as these countries consider consumption taxes unfair because they are imposed on commodities that are bought by the poor and the rich in the same proportion. The only way to be exempt from this tax is “non-consumption”, that is, avoiding buying, and the poor may avoid buying milk and meals for children, and thus the poor are affected more by it than the rich. Therefore, the percentage of this tax must vary according to the type of product and how the society benefits or harms from it in order to achieve justice.
In Egypt, consumption taxes have the largest share of tax revenues, and they achieve the purpose of increasing revenues without achieving the goal of solidarity.. If the government, for example, wants to achieve social justice through the tax system, it must re-study
