Since there are no alternatives for the most part, this just becomes a lossy income redistribution program (with lots of opportunity for corruption). Also, as g

Since there are no alternatives for the most part, this just becomes a lossy income redistribution program (with lots of opportunity for corruption). Also, as governments can simply decree who has to pay it and who is exempt it has the net effect of centralizing government power. If you want empirical evidence, just see what is happening in Canada.