Why must I pay taxes?

If I have no obligation to another person or group why then am I in their debt?

Many reasons are given to justify the payment of taxes: It is to help make a better society, it is to help those who have not been so lucky in life... But what if we disagree that the State can improve society or that we have been unfairly fortunate in life?

Who is to arbitrate on our relative virtues? If I have been lucky in acquiring my wealth who are we to take jurisdiction over luck? Let the lucky be lucky.

We don't begrudge the lottery winner... Perhaps the belief is that the rich have achieved their material wealth unfairly... and that the State is a way to provide redress. Compensation for prior wrongs. But how have the rich coerced wealth from others? They must have been the previous State, so the argument is to use the present State to right the wrongs of previous States.

8th February 2009