--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unlike proportionality, progression…" description: "\"Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle which tells us what the relative burden of different persons ought to be the argument based o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg" --- # Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle… ![“Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle which tells us what the relative burden of different persons ought to be the argument based on the presumed justice of progression provides no limitation, as has often been admitted by its supporters, before all incomes above a certain…” quote by Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg) > “Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle which tells us what the relative burden of different persons ought to be the argument based on the presumed justice of progression provides no limitation, as has often been admitted by its supporters, before all incomes above a certain figure are confiscated, and those below left untaxed.” [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Progression lacks a clear rule for distributing burdens, leading to potential unfairness and excessive taxation. **In simple terms:** Progression doesn’t tell us how to share burdens fairly. Key Takeaway Seek clear, equitable principles for taxation. Themes justice taxation economic theory Mood analytical critical Type philosophical economic When to use this quote - policy design - tax reform debates - economic planning Key Concepts progressive policy fairness burden distribution Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should guide progressive taxation? - How to balance incentives and equity? A Different Perspective Complexities of measuring fairness can be contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Progression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progression/) [Proportionality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proportionality/) ## Related quotes > [Character is proportionate to N, the number of consecutive failures without being discouraged, or equivalently, the number of successive rejections without being intimidated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/character-is-proportionate-to-n-the-number-of-consecutive-failures/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [If you think about for example, proportionality and beauty, things like that, these seem to be some kind of representations of a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-adamson/if-you-think-about-for-example-proportionality-and-beauty-things-like/) [Peter Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-adamson/) > [If God thinks proportionality is fair who are we to say that it is unfair?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/if-god-thinks-proportionality-is-fair-who-are-we-to-say-that-it-is/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“As mathematicians, proportionality principle state that; if 2=4, 3=6, 4=8 and 5=10, so from above sequence, someone can easily guess the value of 6…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/as-mathematicians-proportionality-principle-state-that-if-2-4-3-6-4-8/) [Ntambara Sylvestre Owen Berbason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/) > [AV does not bring you greater proportionality - and there is a tendency for parties to gang up on one of the major ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/av-does-not-bring-you-greater-proportionality-and-there-is-a-tendency/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [It seems to me that we must make a distinction between what is "objective" and what is "measurable" in discussing the question of physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/it-seems-to-me-that-we-must-make-a-distinction-between-what-is/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [The fact that the same proportionalities rule optimal running, flying and swimming is not a coincidence rather it is an illustration of the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-bejan/the-fact-that-the-same-proportionalities-rule-optimal-running-flying-2/) [Adrian Bejan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-bejan/) > [The proportionality of what has happened to America because of unemployment and housing makes everything else look like a flea on a dog's ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-ratigan/the-proportionality-of-what-has-happened-to-america-because-of/) [Dylan Ratigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-ratigan/) > [The Triad has a special beauty and fairness beyond all numbers, primarily because it is the very first to make actual the potentiality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iamblichus/the-triad-has-a-special-beauty-and-fairness-beyond-all-numbers/) [Iamblichus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iamblichus/) > [“The proportionality constant is 21.6, meaning that there is approximately one establishment for about every 22 people in a city, regardless of the city size.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/the-proportionality-constant-is-21-6-meaning-that-there-is/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [“Systems of retributive justice work well as long as they are proportional. However, in complex societies, where the State is the arbiter of justice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-waterman/systems-of-retributive-justice-work-well-as-long-as-they-are/) [Daniel Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-waterman/) > [Technology has just been the major progression of the last 15 years - instant communication. That stuff has gone so global. That's what's interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/technology-has-just-been-the-major-progression-of-the-last-15-years/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Don't try to rush progress. Remember -- a step forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. Keep believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-goucher/don-t-try-to-rush-progress-remember-a-step-forward-no-matter-how/) [Kara Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-goucher/) > [Because that's just the way it is, and don't sleep on what you did before, you know, because it can... not hurt you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thierry-henry/because-that-s-just-the-way-it-is-and-don-t-sleep-on-what-you-did/) [Thierry Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thierry-henry/) > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## More by Friedrich August von Hayek > [The system of private property is the most important guaranty of freedom, not only for those who own property, but scarcely less for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-system-of-private-property-is-the-most-important-guaranty-of/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [By the time any view becomes a majority view, it is no longer the best view: somebody will already have advanced beyond the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/by-the-time-any-view-becomes-a-majority-view-it-is-no-longer-the-best/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Freedom can be preserved only if it is treated as a supreme principle which must not be sacrificed for particular advantages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/freedom-can-be-preserved-only-if-it-is-treated-as-a-supreme-principle/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Should our moral beliefs really prove to be dependent on factual assumptions shown to be incorrect, it would be hardly moral to defend them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/should-our-moral-beliefs-really-prove-to-be-dependent-on-factual/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-true-that-the-virtues-which-are-less-esteemed-and-practiced-now/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Unlike the rationalism of the French Revolution, true liberalism has no quarrel with religion, and I can only deplore the militant and essentially illiberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-the-rationalism-of-the-french-revolution-true-liberalism-has/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage… Unless we can make the philosophic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/we-must-make-the-building-of-a-free-society-once-more-an-intellectual/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [The central problem of management is how spontaneous interaction of people within a firm, each possessing only bits of knowledge, can bring about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-central-problem-of-management-is-how-spontaneous-interaction-of/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [The discussions of every age are filled with the issues on which its leading schools of thought differ. But the general intellectual atmosphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-discussions-of-every-age-are-filled-with-the-issues-on-which-its/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [The Nobel Prize confers on an individual an authority which in economics no man ought to possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-nobel-prize-confers-on-an-individual-an-authority-which-in/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [ \[Socialistic\] economic planning, regulation, and intervention pave the way to totalitarianism by building a power structure that will inevitably be seized by the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/socialistic-economic-planning-regulation-and-intervention-pave-the/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [It is rather a problem of how to secure the best use of resources known to any of the members of society, for ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-rather-a-problem-of-how-to-secure-the-best-use-of-resources/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [The state itself becomes more and more identified with the interests of those who run things than with the interests of the people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-state-itself-becomes-more-and-more-identified-with-the-interests/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [We must face the fact that the preservation of individual freedom is incompatible with a full satisfaction of our views of distributive justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/we-must-face-the-fact-that-the-preservation-of-individual-freedom-is/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Human envy is certainly not one of the sources of discontent that a free society can eliminate. It is probably one of the essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/human-envy-is-certainly-not-one-of-the-sources-of-discontent-that-a/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) [Explore all 244 Friedrich August von Hayek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle which tells us what the relative burden of different persons ought to be the argument based on the presumed justice of progression provides no limitation, as has often been admitted by its supporters, before all incomes above a certain figure are confiscated, and those below left untaxed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich August von Hayek" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-proportionality-progression-provides-no-principle-which-tells/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Argument" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-proportionality-progression-provides-no-principle-which-tells/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_argument_unlike-proportionality-progression-provi_2227495.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle which tells us what the relative burden of…” — Friedrich August von Hayek", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Friedrich August von Hayek", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unlike proportionality, progression provides no principle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-proportionality-progression-provides-no-principle-which-tells/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-proportionality-progression-provides-no-principle-which-tells/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```