Landowners are subordinate to the State

It only makes sense to tax criminals or those with an "excess" of property... Taxing those with little property is equivalent to slavery

Taxation is slavery when the State takes from those who have little property... it can only be justified to take money (on behalf of the State) from an otherwise innocent person, if that person has an excess of property rights (upheld by the State).

Remembering that property rights can only be upheld (recognised) by the State, or a body with similar characteristics to a State, taxation (where no fault has been established, as for transactions...) can only be justified in redistributing resources which have come to be "unfairly" allocated. More simply, unless you have done something wrong, the State can only justify taking your stuff if they think it should belong to another person. That being the case, and assuming they are justified in thinking that, then it cannot make sense to take money (by force) from an otherwise innocent person if they themselves have very little property.

If you have done nothing wrong, then the State must be acting in a way to enhance the distribution of property... which cannot be enhanced to a more equitable system if the person being deprived of property via taxation has little or no property themselves. It doesn't make sense to tax the poor unless the State is acting only out of self-interest and for the interests of those employed or associated with the State (not a true justification).

It can only be justified to tax the wealthy (in terms of property rights), or criminals.

...it wouldn't be an aggressive (initiation, or threat of violence) act for the State to withhold protection of property rights from wealthy landowners. The land then "given up" by the landowners would then fall under the control of the (democratic?) State. The State could then allocate the land which falls into their hands in a democratic way.

The State "should" only (agree to) protect the property rights of people who do not have an excess of property... So if you want to obtain (own) extra property beyond what is considered a reasonable amount, the State would not help you to protect it, or recognise your ownership.

Wednesday 1 April 2009