tax breaks and marriage
THE ARRIVAL of marriage on the political stage this week, so early in the protracted General Election campaign, is a cause for alarm rather than satisfaction. The Church is, of course, a champion of marriage, having consistently upheld it as the natural crucible of human love and the best foundation for the raising of children. But there is much sloppy thinking about marriage, and never more than when politicians get involved.
First, there is no justification for favourable tax arrangements for married couples. There is no intrinsic benefit to the state from the condition of being married which warrants any sort of financial incentive or reward. It is extraordinary how this has become the shibboleth to prove whether this party or that party “backs marriage”. All that people should expect from the next government, of whatever flavour, is that it ensures that the tax system is fair…
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Maggi has kept a blog since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense...
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The state *might* have a justification for a measure that encouraged parents to remain together if, as you contend, marriage is “the best foundation for the raising of children.” However, short of evidence that such a result would in fact come from tax policy favouring married couples, I agree that it is likely that discrimination harms single people (including those rearing children) more than it encourages parents to remain together–which, if the household is dysfunctional may not be such a good thing in any case.