Is Taxation Theft?

I've payed taxes, so yes, I have. But look, your analysis of the situation is right. There's some coercion going on alright. But your conlcusion is wrong. because there'll be even more bad stuff than taxation if we don't have a government. we all want as little bad stuff as possible don't we?

also, please use the quote function, it's really useful.

 

extraction is extraction

 

Of course we could eliminate tax on wages, sales tax, etc but then you'd have no services in return.

 

So was it theft when Germany made it technically legal for you to appropriate property and goods from jewish people?

According to your definition it wasn't theft because it was legal.

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Capitalism doesn't extract anything from anyone. Capitalism requires two people to enter into the agreement willfully.

 

The peasants lost their land rights, so they had to go to the city and work for the capitalist or die.

 

No, taxation is not theft when performed in a democratic society with an elected government.

 

Taking advantage of the benefits a society affords whilst refusing to contribute to that society is theft.

The People have assigned, via democratic self-governance, responsibility for infrastructure, national defence, regulatory oversight, law enforcement, and a plethora of governmental functions that establish the conditions for the individual to thrive and enjoy the high quality of life achieved by advanced nations - all of whom practice regulated capitalism with an effective social welfare component.

If there is a rival, extant, alternative minimal government paradigm, what is it? Somalia? Zimbabwe?

Those who kvetch about the methodology of the demonstrably most successful societies on earth should be able to site their alternative model, and pragmatism demands it not be some airy-fairy confection they discovered in a work of fiction, but one of the real. approximately 200 nations they have available to them.


Whoa! Here come the "small" government fanatics!


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Who is not allowed to purchase land? I must have missed that.

 

taxes are necessary to get things done for the better of this country and its people. But taxation being abused is when it becomes theft.

 

Land is already owned. You have to be lucky enough to encounter a seller.

 

And where are there no sellers? I'm fairly certain if you name a town I can point you to a list of properties.

 

Purchasable reasonably and usable for sustainable living by the common people? Then why aren't you out there helping them get it done instead of preaching for the capitalists? You believe in freedom, don't you?

 

They can help themselves. They don't need me to help them. I'm a capitalist, I don't believe the people the people are so stupid and incapable that they need me to take care of them like socialists do.

And the price of land is like any other resource... it's dependent upon the available supply of the good/service and demand for the good/service.

 

You do not believe in freedom if you think that people should have to be dependent on supply and demand in order to live. We certainly don't need it to grow anything.

 

If it was legal, then no it wasn't theft. Sounds abhorrent and makes me glad we labeled that government illegitimate and put it out of power. You think enough folks will think there is similarity between that the IRS that we're likely to see a similar result here? Seems like you're stretching.

And no, that's not my definition. It's the definition according to Webster and any dictionary you're likely to find.

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How did "let them eat cake" work out last time? I suppose you think a little bit of propaganda is going to do the trick when the bread line runs dry?

 

Gotcha! Quote function!

 

That's EXACTLY what freedom means. Your idea of freedom is a massive reduction in the quality of life.

 

At least you're consistent. I tend to disagree with your definition however. Most of the dictionaries state that stealing is when you take another persons property without permission or legal rights. I have a tendency to feel that's an and instead of an or. It requires both legality and permission from the individual or else it's stealing. Just because a fascist government claims it can appropriate goods from an individual doesn't mean it's not theft. It simply means it's legalized theft.

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Capitalists don't have bread lines. I think you're confusing socialism and communism with capitalism.

Remember east and west berlin? On one side of the wall there's toilet paper as far as the eye can see... on the other side you get toilet paper every other Friday.

 

I know many, left and right will call me insane for saying this, but I think all forms of taxation are evil. To tax a multi-billionaire $5 is an evil, but for me it's a matter of the lesser of two evils. If we're going to tax someone so that we can have a military to defend us, then taxing is the lesser of two evils. If we're going to tax someone so that a destitute family can sleep in warm beds this week, and have two warm meals a day, then taxing is less evil than letting that family go without.

As far as taxation method, it seems to matter little anymore. So many special interest groups would fight for lower taxes on their desired products (greens for tax-free eco-friendly cars, poor advocates for tax-free food, etc.) that it wouldn't much matter if we could change the system.

 

Even taking the primitivism you assume, I do not think that that all homeless people would agree. But you are making assumptions.. Mondragon and other cooperatives prove that a more cooperative society is possible.

 

Renounce my citizenship? Leave? First of all, I was born here. I was never given a choice. I'm here. I'm a senior. I have no intention of moving. I shouldn't have to move. This is MY land, too. I know what contract was signed ... even if I didn't sign it. It's the contract created by our Founders. YOU progressives are the ones who changed our country, through your mob rule mentality. We are NOT a democracy. We are a Republic. We do not strip individuals of their natural rights, just because YOU deem that you have the right to do so, simply because YOU are part of the mob. The Bill of Rights was created by the Anti-Federalists, because they wanted to protect INDIVIDUALS. There was no room in this land for collectivism. So ... YOU take your collectivist ideology and move to another country. There are lots of other countries that thrive ... and fail ... on socialism. Go find one!

 

Values still aren't economics.

 

It allows for theft; it may even encourage theft. The courts grant compensation, however, and they hold corporations accountable for their theft... usually.

 

Chinese peasants make iphones. Do they get to keep them?