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Discussion (Discuss both views) Society Task 2

In some countries, some people get extremely high income and it is believed that this will be of great good to the country while others are of the believe that government should limit the amount of income earned in a country. Discuss both views and give your opinion

A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.

The question

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

In some countries, some people get extremely high income and it is believed that this will be of great good to the country while others are of the believe that government should limit the amount of income earned in a country. Discuss both views and give your opinion

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

How to read this question

You are given two opposing views and asked to discuss both before giving your own. The single most common Band 6 cause here is discussing both sides but never stating your own opinion, or stating it only in the conclusion.

Paragraph plan

Introduction — Paraphrase the topic, acknowledge both views, and state a clear personal opinion.

Body 1 — First view — high incomes benefit the country — with explanation and example.

Body 2 — Second view — governments should cap income to reduce inequality — with explanation and example.

Conclusion — Summarise both views and restate opinion without introducing new ideas.

Model essay

Band 8.5–9.0 model essay

317 words

According to some, individuals who earn substantially high incomes contribute positively and meaningfully to national prosperity, whereas others maintain that governments should impose strict limits on personal earnings. In my view, while unrestricted high incomes can drive growth, a moderate degree of redistribution is preferable to prevent excessive inequality.

On the one hand, proponents argue that high earners stimulate the broader economy through investment and spending. To clarify, wealthy individuals often channel their surplus income into new business ventures, real estate projects and stock markets, generating employment and expanding tax revenue for the state. For instance, successful entrepreneurs frequently reinvest profits into expanding their companies, opening new branches, hiring additional staff and stimulating demand among local suppliers and contractors. This cascading effect is believed to benefit the wider population, not solely the individual earner.

On the other hand, others contend that unrestricted income concentration exacerbates social inequality and diminishes the purchasing power of poorer citizens. This is attributable to the fact that when a small percentage of the population accumulates disproportionate wealth, property and essential goods often become inflated in price, pushing them beyond the reach of average earners. Consequently, this group advocates for progressive taxation or income caps to redistribute wealth more equitably across society and stabilise the cost of essential goods.

From my perspective, both positions contain merit depending on the context. In dynamic, innovation-driven sectors such as technology and pharmaceuticals, high incomes can genuinely incentivise valuable risk-taking and sustained job creation. However, in essential sectors where price inflation directly harms ordinary citizens, such as housing, moderate government intervention through progressive taxation is warranted to prevent runaway inequality, without discouraging productive enterprise altogether.

To conclude, although high incomes can meaningfully stimulate economic growth through investment, innovation and job creation, I believe governments should apply moderate, sector-specific redistribution measures to ensure that rising inequality does not undermine the living standards of the wider population over time.

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Ideas & vocabulary for this topic

Ideas you can use

  • Introduction: Paraphrase both views on high incomes and preview a context-dependent opinion favouring moderate, sector-specific redistribution.
  • Body 1: Present the pro-high-income view: wealthy individuals reinvest surplus income into ventures and real estate, creating jobs and tax revenue, illustrated by entrepreneurs expanding companies and hiring staff.
  • Body 2: Present the limit-income view: concentrated wealth inflates the price of property and essential goods beyond ordinary earners' reach, justifying progressive taxation or income caps.
  • Body 3: Give a balanced opinion: high incomes are valuable in innovation-driven sectors like technology, but essential sectors like housing need moderate progressive taxation to prevent runaway inequality.
  • Conclusion: Restate that high incomes can drive growth, but government should apply sector-specific redistribution to protect living standards.
Word or phraseMeaningUsed in a sentence
surplusan amount left over after needs are metchannel their surplus income into new business ventures
cascading effecta chain of consequences triggered by one eventthis cascading effect is believed to benefit the wider population
disproportionatetoo large or small compared with what is normal or fairaccumulates disproportionate wealth
inflatedincreased to an artificially high levelbecome inflated in price
progressive taxationa tax system in which rates rise as income risesadvocates for progressive taxation or income caps
redistributeto share something out in a different wayredistribute wealth more equitably across society
incentiviseto give someone a reason to do somethingincentivise valuable risk-taking and sustained job creation
runaway inequalityinequality that grows without being controlledwarranted to prevent runaway inequality

Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to see the ideas and vocabulary for this topic and unlock every model on the site.

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