Taxes and theft

I've seen a few spirited discussions recently about government, and whether or not taxation is theft. I'd like to offer a perspective that just came to mind.

Let's pick a semi-arbitrary starting point: 12:00AM on the morning of January 1st. For the sake of argument, let's say that is the point at which you enter the U.S. (or most any western country). At this point in the year, the government has provided you with no services and makes no claims on your person or livelihood. You have not yet earned or spent any money. You could walk right back out of the country, and nobody would say you owed anything to anybody.

But you decide to stay. That is a choice you make.

During your first day, the government provides you services. It allows you to use the roads, it keeps tabs on food production for safety, it keeps convicted criminals away from the general population, it holds ready services like fire and police should you need them, it operates the military to protect the interests of the people within the country from threats, etc.

During this hypothetical day you earn some money and you spend some money.

The government might take partial payment for some of the rendered services in the form of sales tax. Usually for local services. In fact, there are some states where there is no sales tax. Otherwise, you owe a portion of the money you earn while receiving services.

As the days go by, you get more services. Public libraries, public schools for you or your children, a court system to resolve any disputes you might become involved in, road repairs, etc.

At 12:00AM on January 1st, one year later, you have used a year's worth of services provided to you by the government. You have a grace period of approximately 3.5 months to pay what you owe.

So taxes are not theft. The government is simply demanding what you owe for services rendered.

You may not be happy with the quality of these services, but they are provided for you because you are here, as they are provided to everybody who is here. You decided to be here, or to stay here. If you like, you can even work to improve the quality of the services you are provided! This is not a love it or leave it proposition! The government is malleable.

It doesn't matter that you didn't sign a contract. There are a ton of perfectly legitimate services and sales transactions that are legally binding without a contract. For example, try walking out of a restaurant without paying after eating. Or try to convince a hospital that you don't owe them money after you are taken there unconscious after an accident.

You have four options in regards to taxation:
1. You can stay and follow the rules.
2. You can stay, follow the rules, and try to change the system.
3. You can leave.
4. You can leave and try to change the system so that you could come back someday.

It is up to you.

The only option where force and jail time are involved is when you try to take something without paying for it. And yes, at this point you are not walking out the door without paying.

So please stop saying that taxes are theft. That is simply absurd.

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