The progressive income tax has existed since 1861 in the United States, and is designed to ensure that the richest Americans pay their fair share of the cost of maintaining their country's public programs.  But the wealthy deeply resented paying a portion of their income to benefit other people.  As a result, since the early 1960s they have succeeded in having their taxes dramatically reduced.  Even so, large majorities of Americans favor raising taxes on the rich -- a policy that would shift the tax burden back to the wealthy and, also, improve the overall economy.