Taxing inheritance at 100% – no passing on of the family home or any other wealth – is a huge change to the world, and it would undermine the very structure of society. So why do it? The Opening Government team of Dilara Gencer and Saleha Hashemi made a strong enough case to win the debate: this is the only thing we can do to get rid of inequality (as well as helping out the apathetic rich by giving them some motivation). The closing government team of Sourish Chanda and Jaden Chiu were also strong, talking second, by reframing the debate, and drilling down to what would actually change on the ground, if the motion were passed. The Opposition teams didn’t do enough to show how the motion would transform society for the worse – such as completely undermining the profit motive that could be seen as the central tenet of western civilization for millennia; without the profit motive would we have scientific advances? Or the technology we take for granted today? Or the medical facilities we rely on as we live longer and longer lives? The opposition did begin to undermine the gains the proposition argued for, but not fully, leaving the government to ultimately win the argument.

 

Mr Ahern & Mr Murphy