Scenario 20-1
Suppose that a society is made up of five families whose incomes are as follows:
$120,000;$90,000;$30,000;$30,000;and $18,000.
The federal government is considering two potential income tax plans:
Plan A is a negative income tax plan where the taxes owed equal 1/3 of income minus $20,000.
Plan B is a two-tiered plan where the poverty line is $35,000;families earning over $35,000 pay 10% of their income in taxes,and families earning less than $35,000 pay no income tax.
-Raising total utility is the prime objective of which political philosophy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism prioritizes the greatest good for the greatest number of people, and raising total utility (happiness or well-being) would align with this objective. Plan A, with its negative income tax plan, would likely provide the most assistance to the two lower income families, potentially raising their overall utility. Plan B may not be as effective since it only provides assistance to families earning less than the poverty line and could potentially leave the lowest income family without any support.

Scenario 20-1 Suppose That a Society Is Made Up of Five Families