Inheritance system is unfair — but not the way politicians think 

For the most part, capitalism just rewards those who already have capital, writes Ciarán Casey 

The socio-economic status of your ancestors has a profound impact on your own wealth. These links go back centuries, and there is remarkable persistence of status across the globe. The major determinant of how wealthy you are is generally more an accident of birth than of anything you did yourself - as seen in 'House of Guinness.'

Earlier this month Simon Harris described the existing inheritance tax threshold of €400,000 as ‘unfair’ and ‘punitive’, adding that his party would like to see the threshold increased. 

Inheritance tax is a particular bugbear for politicians from the Fine Gael gene-pool. Last year, Alan Shatter castigated it as "essentially a jealousy or resentment tax" and "State sanctioned graveside robbery of assets that have been accumulated on which individuals have already paid their taxes". Fighting words.