Maybe it is time to revisit the whole concept of progressiveness in taxes.

Sir, John Gapper, perhaps solely wearing his hat of a writer, basically proposes creating a publisher monopoly in order to counter the growing strength of a distribution monopoly such as Amazon, “Publisher must become giants to take on Amazon”, May 29.

As a reader, I am not certain I want to be squeezed by those who clearly would then have an interest coming into some agreements that might not benefit me, though the truth is that technological advances married to the reach-out of globalization, do seems definitively to be leading us down that path.

And what can we do to keep alive our alternatives? I have not given too much thought on how it could be implemented but I think that the introduction of tax-rate progressiveness, for corporate profits and or dividends, based on market shares, could be something worthwhile to explore.

Why for instance should “The Shop Around the Corner” have to face the same tax structure as Amazon?

And of course, in the same vein, why should a company that fights naked and unprotected in the markets face the same tax structure as one that operates under the protection of intellectual property rights?

Taxing property or inheritance could, ceteris paribus, only lead to more inequality.

Sir, I refer to Janan Ganesh’s “Tory tax on property is perfect for the Piketty age” May 6.

If I was to make a fast list of what has increased inequality during the last decades that list would include rent extraction, crony capitalism, excessively exploited intellectual property rights, the power of global brands, be it Coca Cola or Real Madrid, the force residing in monopolies or excessive market shares, how managers have taken away corporate control from shareholders, and how bank regulators have allowed such incredible high leverages in the banks while ascertaining to the public these were sound institutions… inheritances would not be on it.

And if I was to combat inequalities I would not start by taxing properties or inheritance since, in the great scheme of things, ceteris paribus, meaning money will keep on flowing how it normally flows, that could lead to even more inequality.

Do I have any suggestions? For a starter two:

First all profits derived from operating under the protection of intellectual property rights or excessive market shares, should be taxed at a higher rate that profits obtained by competing naked in the market.

Second, the tax deductibility as an expense of any salary should be limited to fifty times the median salary of the nation.

Après us le déluge?

Preventing a global slump is indeed a priority as Martin Wolf says October 29, but relying solely on government to do so could mean breaking the back of their finances, further inflaming “xenophobia, nationalism and revolution.”

We need to help governments to be able to help in ways that keep their credibility and therefore, instead of talking about tax cuts, knowing that so many new and urgent real life spending needs will knock on their doors soon, more than recommend tax cuts, as if those had no costs or as in let-our-grandchildren pay, we need to start thinking about new taxes that could be perceived as legitimate and interfering little with the economy.

I am floating around two new tax proposals. A special tax on all profits derived from intellectual property rights that will help to pay for the costs of enforcing those rights and a progressive corporate tax based on market share and that, among other, could help to keep in check the too big to fail risks.

Another possibility is that governments use very long term zero-coupon bonds when providing assistance buying up portfolios or mortgages, remember the Brady bonds?. That could at least buy them the time needed for economies to reflate back to where this new public debts can be duly serviced. Yes, “deflation is lethal for indebted economies” but so is public debt when it surpasses the level of what is perceived as manageable.