You're talking about society at the micro-level though, not the national level. Some of them were immigrants from outside but a large proportion were moving fro

You're talking about society at the micro-level though, not the national level. Some of them were immigrants from outside but a large proportion were moving from other communities in the nation and their ability to do that while retaining their previous prosperity was insured by the society they were investing in through their tax code. I actually think insurance can be quite a good model of the tax system. I'm insuring my assets against a total societal breakdown and confistcation, a la the Bolshevik revolution. I pay more than some because I have a higher asset base to lose but less than others who have more than I.