Controlling Society Through Direct and Indirect Taxation

Today's Ripped Headline has really been "in the making" for quite a while.

Using taxation as a tool to control social attitudes and consumption has never worked in the long-term.

Perhaps the Tories are right; NLP (same old crap) really does secretly follow a hardcore socialist agenda where ultimately, every penny earned will be taken back by the state.

The Curtis LeMay phrase "bomb them back into the Stone Age" implies a fierce attack that utterly destroys its target's infrastructure, forcing its survivors to revert to primitive technology in order to survive.

UK political parties might not use the phrase "tax them back to the Stone Age" in public, but there does seem to be an increasing alliance between the Government and Opposition Parties to use taxation as the ultimate weapon of choice to fight modern social ills.

Perhaps one day, the Great British Public will quietly sleepwalk into a "LeMay Tax Policy"... forward; back to the STONE AGE!!!

" If only each King, Emperor, and President understood that his work of directing armies is not an honourable and important duty, as his flatterers persuade him it is, but a bad and shameful act of preparation for murder - and if each private individual understood that the payment of taxes wherewith to hire and equip soldiers, and, above all, army-service itself, are not matters of indifference, but are bad and shameful actions by which he not only permits but participates in murder - then this power of Emperors, Kings, and Presidents, which now arouses our indignation… would disappear of itself. "
- Leo Tolstoy

" Let them march all they want, as long as they continue to pay their taxes. "
- Alexander Haig

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Headline Text Used:

The Curtis LeMay phrase "bomb them back into the Stone Age" implies a fierce attack that utterly destroys its target's infrastructure, forcing its survivors to revert to primitive technology in order to survive.

UK political parties might not use the phrase "tax them back to the Stone Age" in public, but there does seem to be an increasing alliance between the Government and Opposition Parties to use taxation as the ultimate weapon of choice to fight modern social ills. Small time "one issue" pressure groups, PR companies and lobbyists all contribute to the political panic "tax action plan", because not to act or tax is seen as a weakness.

Meanwhile, recent revelations that ONE POINT SEVEN BILLION POUNDS (£1,700,000,000) of taxpayers money has been overpaid to General Practitioners and mostly used to "top-up" personal wages has dropped out of the headlines.

Billion may refer to either of two numbers: 1,000,000,000 (number), one thousand million or 1,000,000,000,000 (number), one million, million. No clear guidance has yet been given regarding which billion has been used in the over payment of GPs.

Researchers have found even primitive man had to pay a high rate of tax on each "kill" brought back to camp, sometimes up to 95% of the meat would be taken from him. Modern man has around 48% of earnings taken either at source or by stealth taxes, but don't worry; politicians are working hard to retrograde your standard of living back to Stone Age levels.

Arguments for tax resistance

There are a variety of arguments made for tax resistance. Some of the arguments are as follows:

• The government has no legitimate claim to the fruits of one’s labour and so taxation is tantamount to theft or slavery.
• The government engages in immoral, unethical and destructive activities, such as war or capital punishment, and paying taxes inevitably funds these activities.
• The government is non-legitimate i.e. the rulers did not come to power in a legitimate manner.
• The government regime in power is corrupt, serving mainly their own needs and wants.
• The size and scope of government has reached levels far beyond that required of the state.
• The wealthy, or those in power, do not pay their "fair share."
• The government is inefficient and wasteful, providing inadequate return on the tax collected.
• The destitute should be helped through voluntary giving and charities, not funds obtained from compulsory taxation.
• Individuals who chose to take nothing out of the government system (no state pension, healthcare or police protection, for example) need not pay into the system.
• Some taxpayers are non-citizens and are therefore subject to taxation without having a voice in the government (taxation without representation)

Arguments against tax resistance

Many arguments can be made against the tactic of tax resistance. Most basic, of course, is from those who support the entity collecting the tax and feel that other people should as well. But even those who are sympathetic with the tax resister’s complaints may question the methods. Some common arguments against tax resistance are:

• In a majoritarian democracy, if everyone funded only those decisions with which they agree, the government would be undermined.
• If taxes are left unpaid, the government will take the money from someone else, which is unfair to them.
• Individuals who evade taxes are free riders, benefiting from government services like road infrastructure and security without paying their share of the bill.
• The government responds to tax resisters by assessing fines, interest, and/or penalties against them, which may mean they end up with more money in the end.

" Withholding payment of taxes is one of the quickest methods of overthrowing a government. "
-Mahatma Gandhi

" He or she who supports a State organized in the military way – whether directly or indirectly – participates in the sin. Each man old or young takes part in the sin by contributing to the maintenance of the State by paying taxes. "
-Mahatma Gandhi

" I have heard some of my townsmen say, "I should like to have them order me out to help put down an insurrection of the slaves, or to march to Mexico, – see if I would go;" and yet these very men have each, directly by their allegiance, and so indirectly, at least, by their money, furnished a substitute. The soldier is applauded who refuses to serve in an unjust war by those who do not refuse to sustain the unjust government which makes the war… "
-Henry David Thoreau

" If only each King, Emperor, and President understood that his work of directing armies is not an honourable and important duty, as his flatterers persuade him it is, but a bad and shameful act of preparation for murder – and if each private individual understood that the payment of taxes wherewith to hire and equip soldiers, and, above all, army-service itself, are not matters of indifference, but are bad and shameful actions by which he not only permits but participates in murder – then this power of Emperors, Kings, and Presidents, which now arouses our indignation… would disappear of itself. "
-Leo Tolstoy

" Let them march all they want, as long as they continue to pay their taxes. "
-Alexander Haig

Sources: Wiki