Income redistribution, or the redistribution of wealth, is a political policy usually promoted by members of the political left, and opposed, or less strongly supported, by members of the political right. The basic premise of the redistribution of wealth is that money should be distributed so it benefits all members of society, and that the rich should be obliged to assist the poor. Thus, money should be redistributed from the rich to the poor, creating a more financially egalitarian society. Shortcut: WP:CU Marking articles for cleanup This page is undergoing a transition to an easier-to-maintain format. ... This Manual of Style has the simple purpose of making things easy to read by following a consistent format — it is a style guide. ... In politics, left-wing, the political left or simply the left are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of, to varying extents, liberalism, socialism, green politics, anarchism, communism, social democracy, progressivism, American liberalism or social liberalism, and defined in... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply The Right, are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum often associated with any of several strains of conservatism, the religious right, and areas of classical liberalism, or simply the opposite of left-wing politics. ... Egalitarianism can refer to moral as well as factual theories. ...

Today, income redistribution occurs in some form in most democratic countries, most commonly through income-adjusted taxes, in which the amount of tax paid is directly connected to one's income, some of which goes to fund welfare programs to assist the poor. For other uses, see Democracy (disambiguation). ... A tax (also known as a duty) is a financial charge or other levy imposed on an individual or a legal entity by a state or a functional equivalent of a state (e. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Opponents of this measure argue that it punishes good economic activity whilst rewarding poor economic activity, resulting in an inefficient economy, and that it infringes on one's right to enjoy the fruit of one's labor and property rights. They also argue that such measures will result in a brain drain and lead to a state where the middle class have to support a large population of unemployed and working poor with an ever-increasing percentage of their income. They also believe that income redistribution creates a dependency culture and a society that is not meritocratic. This page deals with property as ownership rights. ... This article is about the emigration term. ... Meritocracy is a system of government based on rule by ability (merit) rather than by wealth or social position; merit means roughly intelligence plus effort. ...

Proponents of redistribution argue from the Marxian standpoint that wealthier people are exploiting the poor or otherwise gaining unfair benefits, therefore necessitating redistributive practices in order to redress the imbalance. Others argue that income differences in free economies are unfair, and must be remedied through taxation to fund welfare programs for those with lower incomes. Marxian economics refers to a body of economic thought stemming from the work of Karl Marx. ... The term exploitation may carry two distinct meanings: The act of utilizing something for any purpose. ...

See also

• Welfare (financial aid)
• Redistribution
• Social equality
• Progressive taxation