political feasibility of taxation

Taxation’s political feasibility refers to the ease or difficulty of implementing taxes for government revenue. It depends mostly on the opinion of the public, and whether certain taxes are “popular” or “unpopular” with constituents, as well as what types of taxes might be seen as fairer and more acceptable by certain groups. For instance, taxes on polluting industries, such as the carbon tax, may be seen as politically feasible because of the majority of people who now understand the importance of reducing emissions and curbing the extent of climate change. Another example is a sales tax, which can be seen as more politically feasible than a property tax because it is easier to explain and less likely to be seen as unfair or burdensome, as lower-income people may not own property but they do still purchase goods and services. On the other hand, taxes that may be perceived as targeting the wealthy, such as a wealth tax, can be seen as politically unfeasible because of their unpopularity with the group being targeted and the potential of it to hurt their economic position. Ultimately, tax policies must strike a balance between the public perception of fairness that push a policy to become politically feasible, and the financial needs of governments to collect revenue in order to offer services to citizens.