I was only half-joking.
Other nations already have negative interest rates to take money from bond holders. For stocks and other assets, they have wealth tax. They are too impatient to wait for capital gain tax, which does not work if these buy-and-holders simply do not sell. And what if they have no gains but losses in bad years? Wealth tax works in any market, bull or bear.
And the wealth tax can be levied on retirement funds too. Got to get to those guys now, even though they will be taxed when they die and the money passes to the heir. Need money now.
From Wikipedia:
Note the inclusion of insurance and pension plans. Nothing escapes.