1. How many different types of tax do you pay? Which one do you resent paying the most? Does your country have any unusual taxes? (e.g. the UK's window tax)
2. "Civilisation starts with paying taxes". Do you agree? Why?
3. Do you work from home more now than you did before the arrival of Covid-19? Was that your choice or the employer's? Has working from home resulted in you saving money? In which areas?
4. Would you be happy to pay slightly more tax from the money you have saved if the money was redistributed fairly?
Read article here: Tax Working From Home Reading
5. Why does Deutsche Bank want people to pay more tax? Choose one from the below:
a) They're a caring, sharing kind of organisation which wants to help others.
b) They own a lot of commercial office space in central London which is now empty.
6. If your government introduced such a scheme, what could you do as a way of expressing your discontent? Tell me about changing banks (assuming you are with Deutsche), refusing to pay the tax, civil disobedience, organising petitions etc.
7. Have any taxes been successfully repealed in your country? (e.g. UK poll tax)
8. Is 2020 a time for more taxes or less? How will economies recover from the pandemic?
9. Will working from home lead to even more outsourcing of work to 'third-world' countries? (e.g. call centres in India)
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Situation
You are a green-activist shareholder at Deutsche Bank who is against these new proposals. Attempt to persuade fellow shareholder (your teacher) of the wisdom of your arguments.
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Discuss quotes
“I hate paying taxes. But I love the civilisation they give me”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes
"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul"
---- George Bernard Shaw
"Elections should be held on April 16th- the day after we pay our income taxes. That is one of the few things that might discourage politicians from being big spenders."
---- Thomas Sowell
“When you work from home there is no such thing as a holiday.”
― Anthony T. Hincks
"Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is really quite as satisfying as an income tax refund.”
— F. J. Raymond
Student Handout PDF: Tax Working
Photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich