---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many argue that graduates earn a…"
description: "\"Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of their education, and should have to pay their way. I agree, and that's why I've always advocated ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg"
---

#  Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of…

![“Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of their education, and should have to pay their way. I agree, and that's why I've always advocated a progressive taxation system - so if people do receive large salaries, they pay more income tax.” quote by John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg)

> “Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of their education, and should have to pay their way. I agree, and that's why I've always advocated a progressive taxation system - so if people do receive large salaries, they pay more income tax.”

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Education raises earnings, so higher earners should contribute more via progressive taxes.

**In simple terms:** Higher education leads to higher pay, so pay more tax.

Key Takeaway

Tax the wealthy more.

Themes

taxation education equity progressive policy

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

policy argumentative

When to use this quote

- budget planning
- political campaigning
- public discourse
- tax reform
- higher education funding

Key Concepts

public finance social contract income distribution

Questions to Reflect On

- Should tax rates be tied to education level?
- How to balance fairness and economic growth?

A Different Perspective

Progressive taxes may discourage investment or talent migration.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Progressive tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-tax/) [Progressive taxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-taxation/)

## Related quotes

> [“What did trust, cooperation, progressive taxation and the interventionist state bequeath to western societies in the decades following 1945? The short answer is, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/what-did-trust-cooperation-progressive-taxation-and-the/)

[Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/)

> [You know what isn't class warfare? Progressive taxation, as in, say, expecting billionaires to pay at least as much in taxes as their secretaries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/you-know-what-isn-t-class-warfare-progressive-taxation-as-in-say/)

[Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/)

> [I'm willing to fight for Social Security, Medicare, student loans, U.S. jobs, equal pay, progressive taxation and full employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-grayson/i-m-willing-to-fight-for-social-security-medicare-student-loans-u-s/)

[Alan Grayson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-grayson/)

> [The philosophy underlying the system of progressive taxation is that the income and wealth of the well-to-do classes can be freely tapped. What the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-philosophy-underlying-the-system-of-progressive-taxation-is-that/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [Progressive taxation can offset the effect of growing inequality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/progressive-taxation-can-offset-the-effect-of-growing-inequality/)

[Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/)

> [Yeah, I am in favor of migration. But I am also in favor of education. But at the same time, I am in favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/yeah-i-am-in-favor-of-migration-but-i-am-also-in-favor-of-education/)

[Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/)

> [The U.S. is the country that invented progressive taxation of income and of inherited wealth in the 1910s and '20s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/the-u-s-is-the-country-that-invented-progressive-taxation-of-income/)

[Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/)

> [You've got to of course create jobs, you've got to increase the tax base, but progressive taxation those limited powers that we have, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humza-yousaf/you-ve-got-to-of-course-create-jobs-you-ve-got-to-increase-the-tax/)

[Humza Yousaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humza-yousaf/)

> [Who can begrudge the generosity of the wealthy, you might say. Wherever you stand on the concentration of wealth and power in the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/who-can-begrudge-the-generosity-of-the-wealthy-you-might-say-wherever/)

[Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/)

> [Taxes are necessary. But the system of discriminatory taxation universally accepted under the misleading name of progressive taxation of income and inheritance is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/taxes-are-necessary-but-the-system-of-discriminatory-taxation/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [Progressive taxation of income and profits means that precisely those parts of the income which people would have saved and invested are taxed away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/progressive-taxation-of-income-and-profits-means-that-precisely-those/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [The liberals who demanded equality of taxation on behalf of the poor, for instance, did not imagine that they would obtain progressive taxation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilfredo-pareto/the-liberals-who-demanded-equality-of-taxation-on-behalf-of-the-poor/)

[Vilfredo Pareto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilfredo-pareto/)

> [In an ideal world, of course, we would still be arguing for free education. If I was starting with a blank sheet of paper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/in-an-ideal-world-of-course-we-would-still-be-arguing-for-free/)

[Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/)

> [The estate tax has been a disaster. First of all it's double taxation, some people could even say it's triple taxation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-estate-tax-has-been-a-disaster-first-of-all-it-s-double-taxation/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The necessaries of life occasion the great expense of the poor. They find it difficult to get food, and the greater part of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-necessaries-of-life-occasion-the-great-expense-of-the-poor-they/)

[Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/)

## More by John McDonnell

> [Going to university is, and should be, so much more than a mechanical process of grinding out a degree qualification for a pre-determined career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/going-to-university-is-and-should-be-so-much-more-than-a-mechanical/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [The arrogant view that young people don't count because they don't vote has thankfully been smashed for ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-arrogant-view-that-young-people-don-t-count-because-they-don-t/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [Well organised displays of spontaneous support is one of the New Labour machine's specialities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/well-organised-displays-of-spontaneous-support-is-one-of-the-new/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [Labour will only survive in government if we can restore the sense of mission upon which it was founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/labour-will-only-survive-in-government-if-we-can-restore-the-sense-of/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [The spread of information technology and the long-term decline in the cost of computing power have created opportunities that simply did not exist before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-spread-of-information-technology-and-the-long-term-decline-in-the/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [When I left school I went onto the shop floor, working 12-hour shifts in a TV factory. My workmates were sharp, skilled and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/when-i-left-school-i-went-onto-the-shop-floor-working-12-hour-shifts/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [The New Labour political elite has long conspired to secure a so-called 'smooth transition' for Blair's successor. This would amount to little more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-new-labour-political-elite-has-long-conspired-to-secure-a-so/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [If the government is injecting public money, it should also take the right to oversee board appointments, executive pay, and future business operations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/if-the-government-is-injecting-public-money-it-should-also-take-the/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [Only the political process offers the real prospect of a united Ireland at peace with itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/only-the-political-process-offers-the-real-prospect-of-a-united/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [Producing more reams of detailed policies that have marginal and limited effects on our society is futile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/producing-more-reams-of-detailed-policies-that-have-marginal-and/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [There are some lines in the sand you just do not cross. Undermining basic civil liberties by locking people up for long periods without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/there-are-some-lines-in-the-sand-you-just-do-not-cross-undermining/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [Political rivalry is one thing but personal smear campaigns scrape the barrel of political infighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/political-rivalry-is-one-thing-but-personal-smear-campaigns-scrape/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [No cause is worth the loss of a child's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/no-cause-is-worth-the-loss-of-a-child-s-life/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [The illegal 2003 invasion had little to do with liberating Iraqis from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Instead, the real freedoms and benefits were destined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-illegal-2003-invasion-had-little-to-do-with-liberating-iraqis/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

> [We want to be absolutely clear to the people what we are about. No backroom deals whatsoever and we're not going to be held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/we-want-to-be-absolutely-clear-to-the-people-what-we-are-about-no/)

[John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

[Explore all 100 John McDonnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/)

## More Education quotes

> [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/)

Ted Martinez

> [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/)

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

> [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/)

Ioannes Amos Commenius

> [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/)

H.D. (Hilda Doolittle

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/)

[Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/)

> [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/)

[Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/)

[Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of their education, and should have to pay their way. I agree, and that's why I've always advocated a progressive taxation system - so if people do receive large salaries, they pay more income tax.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John McDonnell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium-because-of-their-education/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Education"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium-because-of-their-education/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/john-mcdonnell-5730_education_many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium_1743681.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Many argue that graduates earn a 'premium' because of their education, and should have to pay their way. I…” — John McDonnell",
                "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": "John McDonnell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Many argue that graduates earn a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium-because-of-their-education/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/many-argue-that-graduates-earn-a-premium-because-of-their-education/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
