On the distribution of wealth/income

[Acer]

What proportion of taxing the rich actually results in redistribution in the classic sense, i.e., taking from the rich and giving to the poor? The rich enjoy the same highway system, military and civil police protection, consumer protection, health care and research, access to natural resources, stable currency, etc. etc. Indeed the value-to-them of these shared resources is even greater to the rich because they, for example, have more valuable property to protect or travel more. Moreover, they "take" from the collective in other ways because they externalize significant business operating expenses to the government, such as to fund their employees' retirement or disability, to educate their workforce, clean up their messes, etc.

The rich tend to defend themselves as the givers in the equation, when the take is quite significant.