In response to Bernie Sanders' diary, I wanted to explore ideas about why inheritance is important and what value it plays in society. To focus this right down, I will suggest as the opening position that inheritance be abolished.
100% estate tax. On everyone.
Alternatively, let's pretend that that is the current situation and argue for change.
More beyond the copulating E's.
There are some obvious problems, and it may be that abolishing inheritance is impossible in the society as it works today. But some of the restrictions around today's society might well vanish also if the capital of every generation's productivity was recycled through the government and used to create the projects worked on by the remainder of society.
So there's one issue to be faced - how the money that is left by the dead is then focussed in productive ways back into society.
Spouses. How would no-inheritance affect them? What modifications to the rule are reasonable?
Likewise children. Minor children, adult children, obviously different cases.
Then there are organisations. These do not need to be disbanded on the death of their owner - the organisation continues but the government now owns or part-owns it. And would need to pass it off to another owner fairly quickly, I would guess - but thoughts welcome.
Anyway - I didn't want to make this too big. Really it's a jumbo-sized comment on Bernie Sanders' diary, for further commentary response, so I hope to see your contributions below.