Anyone who is capable of logical thought and has seriously considered taxation in relation to other forms of theft will come to the conclusion that either taxation is theft or taxation is just some other thing that they refuse to call theft. A necessary evil. I'm not one of those people that just brings up this topic with people. It's usually brought up by them in the form of their displeasure in how the government is using money or resources. Or, sometimes how they are not using money or resources. When the topic comes up I express my opinion and conviction. Taxation is theft. Usually, they concede the point and end up saying, "Well, we have to have taxes? How would the government be funded." To which I reply, well we would have to find out. I mean, if you think the government should do x, then you send them your money to do that. Why should those that don't want x have to send their money? Don't we live in a democracy? I think most people are just uncomfortable questioning things we aren't supposed to question. Honestly, this sounds like Stockrom syndrome to me.
Over the years, I've had people tease me about saying taxation is theft. And I've discovered that one reason they do this is because they don't really understand the worst part of taxation being theft. They seem to think its because I'm greedy. That's not it. It's not that my money is being taken from me. Don't get me wrong. This infuriates me. Its not only because it is my money and they steal it by force then they use it to provide services that I actually need. Its not even that they have a monopoly on many of these services but do a terrible job performing them. I am perfectly willing to pay for things that I use and things that I need. I'm not looking to have a free ride off the back of anyone else. So what is the worst part of taxation?
The worst thing about taxation is that my money is taken from me by force and used to do many things that I find morally or ethically repulsive. Your tax dollars are used to do things that you would never support. These things are different for each person. There's nothing wrong with that. Would you donate to fund the murder and slaughter of people you have never met in some foreign land? Would you pay your hard-earned money to keep a dictator in power just so some fat cat can have a sweet deal? Would you pay your hard-earned money to ensure that some bureaucrat who isn't qualified to manage anything mismanages things that are vital to human survival? Of course you wouldn't, and that is what is so despicable about taxes. The idea that paying taxes is patriotic, the idea that you are the bad person because you understand what is actually happening is truly infuriating. It is truly a psyop.
Taxation is vital to the power of the state and the political classes. Without it they have very little reason to exist. We are in a time when most voters seem to be driven by stopping the government from doing something they don't like with tax money. Or, they are driven by using this stolen money to do what they desire. This is a key tool politicians use the gain and maintain power. Control over the stolen funds. Either to use or withhold it from a cause or imitative. Most people are so under the mind control of the system that they can't put themselves in the shoes of those they oppose. They only think about what they are told they want. But the few that do, if they are willing to think will come to the conclusion that the only solution to this stalemate is to withdraw. The state should withdraw and allow individuals to voluntarily fund what they believe should be funded. The reality is that the system for this already exists. Its called the free market.
I usually get the response, "Well if you made taxes voluntarily no one would pay them". Of course this may be true, but what does that tell you? That tells me that people do not really support all these things they are told they support. There is a mirage of support for wars and government programs that does not exist. Another common reaction is, well who would take care of the poor? This one is easy. We would. There are many wealth and ordinary people that have compassion for the poor and needy. I have zero doubt that the free market would be more effective at helping those in need than any state actor. After all, it seems absurd for anyone to think that the government would provide better food than individuals working together. Have you had government food? The same goes for every industry. But I'm not even saying that we need to get rid of the state. Most people seem to assume that things would not work if taxation was voluntarily. When I started seeing this pattern it occurred to me that there are two types of people in this regard. Those that accept the truth that taxation is theft, and those that are in denial. Everyone functionally knows taxation is theft but most are afraid to admit it is true.