4 ms·

How the heck would a modern society function without some sort of compulsory taxation?

• duncan_bayne 11y ago
  There are a lot of questions wrapped up in yours :) Briefly: if you pare Government back to core functions, you don't need much money. In New Zealand, we (meaning the Libertarianz) estimated it at around $2,500 / working adult / year. That (back at the turn of the 21st century) would get you courts, police, Parliament, defense, embassies and the glue to run it all. Then you need a way of raising the money. Probably, most working people can afford $2,500 per year to keep civilisation running, especially if they're not paying any other taxes. Maybe a poll tax? Seems reasonable that those paying also do the voting. Could simply solicit donations, or maybe run a lottery. But no: you couldn't run a socialist country that way. Which is sort of the point :)