An analysis of opinion on matters of taxation and public policy between the students of law and business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The objective of this study was to compare and contrast opinions between a sample of law and business students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on matters of federal taxation and corresponding public policy. Because economics is an inexact science, lawmakers must bring their own opinions, education, and philosophy to bear on decisions regarding taxes. Those who represent business and economic interests often view matters of taxation differently than do those involved in writing and interpreting the laws, possibly leading to a dynamic and unsettled federal tax code. This study compared the opinions of these two groups of students at various stages of matriculation by quantifying and analyzing the results of an opinion survey. Though anecdotal predictions on post-graduation opinion are possible, the study was designed to contrast present opinions of the student groups without regard to post-graduate experiences or activities.;A sample of the population of each school was surveyed using a Likert-type questionnaire regarding federal taxation and public policy. Statements were divided into three groups by subject matter, and the data were analyzed using two independent sample t tests to determine statistically significant differences in opinion between the two groups. This testing was followed by an analysis of each question using Pearson's chi-square test of homogeneity to identify distribution patterns. In both analyses, the testing failed to identify a statistically significant difference in grouped statements or a difference in response patterns in individual statements. These findings suggest that students in the disciplines of law and business may enter their chosen course of study with similar views of federal taxation and tax policy, and that some of these policies have become widely accepted in the American tax system.