I don't know about bankers and scientists. I do know about the contracts I have with my clients as a freelance web developer. They agree to pay me X for Y servi

I don't know about bankers and scientists. I do know about the contracts I have with my clients as a freelance web developer. They agree to pay me X for Y service. I perform that service, they pay me. That money is morally and legally mine, by virtue of the fact that the client and I have agreed upon that transaction and nobody else had a say in the matter. Now, the fact that I need to remit a portion of that money back out to government entities in the form of taxes, as part of living in and doing business in this country, does not change the situation on the ground—I get money from my clients, then I must remit a portion of it to the state and federal tax entities. I wouldn't argue that means "taxation is theft" per se—but to argue that the money was never really mine to begin with is ludicrous.