What Happens When the Wealth Creators Shrug?

Did you see what happened in Norway?

Their government decided to raise its wealth tax, expecting this new policy to pull in an additional $146 million each year. 

Somehow, they were shocked when the opposite happened. 

Instead of more revenue, they got an exodus. Norway’s wealthiest people, representing a whopping $54 billion in assets, packed up and left the country​.

And with them, the government lost an estimated $594 million in annual tax revenue. That’s more than four times what they thought they’d gain​!

Here’s the thing: Wealth isn’t a lifeless pool that governments can dip into anytime they want. It moves, and when politicians push too hard, it leaves—taking jobs, investments, and opportunity along for the ride.

We’ve seen this before. During the pandemic, high-tax states like New York and California watched residents flood to states with friendlier policies—places like Texas and Florida. 

The same principle is at play: creators, especially those with means, will go where they’re treated well—where they are free to live and work without being punished for their success.

This idea is central to one of my favorite Tuttle Twins books, The Tuttle Twins and the Search for Atlas. 

In the story, Ethan and Emily become clowns in a visiting circus, only to discover that when hardworking people are overburdened or taken for granted, they start to leave. 

The twins grapple with questions like: What happens when those who produce give up? How can people develop personal responsibility and avoid feeling entitled to the efforts of others? What happens when a society demands equal results rather than rewarding individual effort? 

When governments pass laws that discourage hard work, people naturally go where their efforts are valued (and protected).

A society that discourages production won’t thrive—it will collapse.  

That’s exactly what Norway just learned the hard way. And if we’re not careful, it’s a lesson we’ll be learning here too.  

If you want to prepare your kids to understand these real-world dynamics, The Tuttle Twins and the Search for Atlas is a must-read. It’s a powerful way to teach children why hard work and personal responsibility matter—and what happens when governments chase away those who produce.  

These are vital lessons the rising generation needs to learn now… Before all the innovators and producers simply shrug and walk away.

— Connor