3 ms·

It's not theft because you're free to leave any time. You stay, you agree to the social contract - otherwise you're the one stealing from everyone else.

• fortran77 7y ago
  While I 100% agree that "taxation is not theft" and I realize that they're necessary (and legal!) and I pay them....we're not really "free to leave at any time". For one thing, the United States has a 30% expatriation tax. They will take 30% of your wealth just for leaving.
  • JetSpiegel 7y ago
    So leaving has a price, it's still not theft.
    • fortran77 7y ago
      It means you're not "free" to go.
      • shadowgovt 7y ago
        You're free to go. Your stuff (which was partially acquired via exploitation of the ecosystem that is the country that wants those taxes... Bet you drove on a public road) isn't.
        • fortran77 7y ago
          Maybe, but I can't "just leave".
          • admax88q 7y ago
            Sure you can, you even get to keep 70% of the things you acquired while participating in the social contract! That's a pretty generous severance package.
      • JetSpiegel 7y ago
        Not free as a beer, free as in freedom. Modulo dictatorships.
• dependenttypes 7y ago
  You are also free to leave the neighbour if you don't want to pay the mafia for "protection". It's not theft, right?