Infected Mushroom wrote:Greetings NSG,
I have just realised that in my view, the fact that the government forces you give them money on a regular basis (in the form of income tax) from income you rightfully and assiduously earn... is nothing more or less than an act of state-sanctioned theft.
In my view it can be described in no other way. The fact that we consider taxation a normal thing and a legitimate thing is simply a form of Might Makes Right. If a person wrote letters to you to try to compel you to give them a part of your property every Nth period (and if you don't they will do bad things to you like imprison you), you would rightfully and instinctively call such a person a robber. Likewise, If a band of robbers wrote a letter to you and threatened the same, you would rightfully and instinctively call such an organization an organization of robbers.
I've just made the revolutionary connection that the government is in that business too. I mean think about it. If you don't pay your taxes for long enough, the tax collectors will send their enforcers to grab you and throw you into a cell (isn't this similar to how a mafia operates?). Except they trick you into thinking its alright by making it a part of the Law. They also trick you into thinking that you've somehow legitimised this Theft because every 4 or so years you get to cast a statistically insignificant ballot that's supposedly a form of consent.
I can't believe it...
What do you think NSG? Is taxation nothing more than a form of theft by the powerful? Are we ruled by a society of elite and powerful bandits; is this what Western liberal society comes down to?
Taxes are used to fund public works and fulfill government responsibilities. I'm from the USA so I am using our examples. Sorry if some of my examples do not apply to you.
Example:
Bridges
Dams
Roads
Maintain the armed forces
Enforce laws
Pay government employees (Examples: Politicians, teachers, government appointed lawyers and various other government responsibilities)
Now you say you are being robbed but robbers don't take your money then build you a bridge to get to work then give you a court to make a case about why Mr.Fitzgerald should pay for your car repairs after his motorcycle damaged your windshield when it flipped onto your car after you gently nudged him with your car on said bridge.
With no taxes Mr. Fitzgerald can then go set your house on fire, with no consequences, which will then burn to the ground since no one is paying for the fire department or police or even laws in the first place. While you complain about the sorry situation of homelessness and non existent welfare in your country the next country over that does have taxes invades the crap out of yours because the small volunteer militia ran when they saw that the invaders news teams were better armed than they were. Your country will then be sad but quickly become very happy that they are protected by a government.
In a society without taxes, and in turn a functional government, responsibility for all of the above things either has never existed and is likely a small tribe or fell to a successful communist society where everyone helps without being asked or a business which suddenly has no one to watch them. There is nothing wrong with tribal societies, but a tribe can only be so big. As for communism, it has never completely been reached as communism has no government. The other extreme being a corporate run country is suddenly only concerned about the bottom line and they don't have to pay or give you any rights you suddenly (Slavery very possible). If you try to not work, well, they can most certainly field a police force not constrained by due process and can just as quickly legally execute dissidents on sight.
Taxes are not new, taxes have existed since the times of Mesopotamia, and like death, taxes are a constant certainty in life.