Are Tax Rises Inevitable in a Debt Economy?

Challenging the Imagination Deficit in UK Governance

This listing is designed to challenge conventional thinking around economic policy in the UK. In particular, it interrogates whether tax rises are truly inevitable in the context of a debt economy, or whether this narrative reflects a lack of imagination and care by those in power.

Central Question: Are tax rises inevitable in a UK debt economy, or are we governed by an elite that lacks imagination, courage, and empathy, thereby prolonging economic misery for millions?

Supporting Questions:

1. Economic Narrative and Reality

   • Why do politicians insist that the UK must "live within its means" as if the government is a household?

   • What are the real economic constraints for a sovereign currency issuer like the UK?

   • Can deficits be reframed as tools for investment rather than liabilities?

2. Ideological Bias and Myth-Driven Policy

   • Who benefits from the myth that tax rises are unavoidable?

   • How can we better expose and challenge economic narratives rooted in political ideology?

   • What alternative models, such as Modern Monetary Theory, offer a more accurate framework for national spending and investment?

3. Governance and Accountability

   • Why is the Bank of England not fully accountable to the public through Parliament?

   • How can democratic oversight be improved in monetary policy?

   • What role should Parliament, civil society, and citizens play in economic decision-making?

4. Imagination Deficit and Policy Stagnation

   • Why does UK policy-making lack creativity and innovation in tax and spending?

   • What new fiscal tools or systems (e.g., sovereign investment funds, public banks) could replace outdated models?

   • How do we empower communities to co-design bold, inclusive economic policies?

5. Economic Fairness and Taxation

   • Why are ordinary workers consistently taxed more heavily than capital and wealth?

   • How could a progressive tax system be designed to fund public investment without burdening the majority?

   • What would it take to implement wealth taxes, land value taxes, or financial transaction taxes?

6. Public Education and Engagement

   • Why is financial literacy not a national priority?

   • How do economic myths persist due to widespread misinformation?

   • What are the most effective ways to educate the public about money, taxation, and government spending?

7. Debt and Misery: A Political Choice?

   • Is austerity the product of necessity or elite design?

   • Could public investment reverse decline in infrastructure, housing, education, and healthcare?

   • What moral responsibility do leaders have to end economic suffering through alternative policies?

Conclusion

I call for a national dialogue on whether tax rises are truly inevitable or simply the result of unimaginative and inequitable governance. By asking these questions, we can start to reshape economic discourse and pursue practical, humane alternatives. Use this listing to inspire research, debate, and collaboration across civil society, academia, and government.