This is money earned by someone through their hard work. They probably created hundreds or thousands of jobs in the process too. They paid taxes on it already, too. Why should the state help itself to almost half of the inheritance? Because it doesn't suck enough to have a close relative die, so you want to make it more painful?
As an American, I am not opposed to inheritance taxes. Discouraging the creation of an hereditary aristocracy is part and parcel of the legacy of our revolution and has long been one of the reasons for enacting inheritance taxes. Given the way in which our tax code favors capital gains, the inheritance tax is in many ways a mechanism which allows people to grow their wealth tax deferred. And in the case of the art, it is a stretch to consider any increase in value a capital gain that contributed to economic growth.
Other cultures enjoy supporting hereditary nobility. But it's not part of our founding principles.
If you were rich, that would be because you cared to generate wealth on that scale. You worked your bollocks off and created vast amounts of wealth at the cost of blood and sweat and your life. I am not rich, but I am earning decent money through my business now and trust me when I say that every penny the government takes on the money that I earned through my hard work creating something from scratch is painful.
I shudder at the thought that when I die, a large percentage of what I earned would be snatched away from those I love "just because the state can".
However, the basis of my opinion regarding the inheritance tax in general is based on a simple political philosophy similar to that of Socrates - when one has enjoyed and benefited from the rule of law for a life time, the only ethical course is to accept those parts of the law which may be to one's detriment.
Sonnabend clearly benefited from the laws of the US for many decades - among those the ability to own private property, enforce contracts, and exchange goods for fungible currency. Indeed, it was US immigration policy which allowed her and her family to immigrate and transfer their wealth from Europe on the eve of the Second World War.
The US tax code allows wealth to be transferred between generations in accordance with American values. The creation of a permanent aristocracy has not traditionally been consistent with those values. As for me, I shudder at the the thought of money constituting my most important legacy to those I love.
Do you think children should win the birth lottery?
Maybe the state should control mate selection as well. We wouldn't want all of the best people pairing up, what is left for the rest?
It's called public education and it's not very controversial.
If my spouse is dead or I am divorced, and I have a house, and I die, are my children homeless and destitute?
I am honestly flabbergasted at the concept that a government should own things by default. A government is not a kingdom, and it should govern, not own.