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Is it possible to find a Torah source for the concept of having lower tax rates for big corporations? We find a concept similar to this in this week’s Torah portion of Vayigash. We see what was virtually an anticipated market crash, but actually much worse, after Pharaoh’s dreams of years of plenty and years of famine. The Torah relates that Yosef, Viceroy of Egypt, made very harsh emergency economic decisions during the years of plenty continuing into the years of famine.
However, the Torah also relates, “So Yosef imposed it as a statute till this day regarding the land of Egypt: It was Pharaoh’s for the fifth; only the priests’ land alone did not become Pharaoh’s” (Breishis 47:26).
The Toaliyos HaRalbag learns from the last part of this pasuk that “it’s befitting for a ruler, when he is asking of his nation to do something very difficult for them, that he appeases the heads of the nation, in a fashion that they will agree with his decrees. If he doesn’t do this [appeasement], maybe they will rebel against him. For this reason you find that when Yosef collected all the grain of the land for Pharaoh during the seven years of plenty, besides the need to feed all the citizens, Pharaoh made a condition to give to the ministers of the land all their needs for them to eat during the seven years of famine, so that he won’t fear that the citizens will rebel and steal the grains from him or assassinate him and take all the grain, since the heads of state will keep charge of the citizens.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The Ralbag is mandating that when a government has to take emergency measures and set up harsh laws that might be against the interest of their citizens, they shouldn’t apply these harsh laws to the heads of state, the entrepreneurs, the leaders of the society. This is so that they can help the government and ensure that the rest of the citizens won’t start an insurrection. Why is it fair that the leaders get an exemption from the law, preferential treatment and keep all their wealth and property but the lower-class citizens must have their food and property confiscated by the government for the sake of saving the lives of every individual? What about equality; is it warranted or not?
We must say, it would seem, that even though this looks unfair and seems to be a show of preference, it is still what is best to ensure law and order in society. Hence what’s best for society under these extraordinary circumstances, is warranted.