Towards a taxation scheme conducive to economic growth and social justice

“Economic growth (…) is a necessary condition from a social democratic standpoint, but not an end, and it must take social equality and justice into consideration. The proceeds of a dynamic and productive economy have to be distributed fairly”.

Based on this approach, FES Lebanon supported the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in its national conference to discuss and evaluate the proposed taxation scheme of the 2019 national budget.

The aim was to call for the adoption of a taxation scheme based on the ideals of social justice and not to overcome a difficult financial situation on the expense of the poor and the underprivileged.

The guest speakers and audience’s discussions revolved around 3 main topics:

• How much does the Lebanese taxation system contribute to social justice and economic growth?

• Does the budget for the year 2019 ensure a just taxation?

• Combating tax evasion and its role in achieving growth and social justice.

The event ended with a series of recommendations encouraging the state to adopt:

• An overall economic plan that would respect the rights of the workers and the underprivileged.
• A tax system as an economic tool to minimize the gaps between social groups in Lebanon

The conference was attended by more than 100 participants.