4 ms·

> It's not extortion because I have the ability to (1) leave the country for one where the taxes are more to my liking So I guess a mafia's extortion is not ac

> It's not extortion because I have the ability to (1) leave the country for one where the taxes are more to my liking So I guess a mafia's extortion is not actually extortion either, because you can leave one mafia and go get extorted by another whose extortion is more to your liking? > (2) I can lower and raise them as much as I want to by working more or less. I don't even need to tell you that this is disingenuous. > that's definitely a possibility but to date we have not seen that so it should not cloud your judgment about the present day situation How exactly is the possibility clouding my judgment?

throwaway507212 11y ago
>>>>> how is taxation different from extortion, besides that we're threatened with imprisonment instead of violence? If the mafia takes away 20% of your income (and also the people around you), and then comes back to you 2 years later to report what they did with the money: "Your money and the one from your friends helped me buy this new house on the lake, and this private jet. I had to use some to pay the workers because I'm not enslaving people" If a country takes the same amount of money and comes back to you 2 years later: "Your money was used to build this new road to improve the local economy, also we were able to save 3 persons from a fire thanks to this new fire truck, and treat 2 people at the hospital. Feel free to use that new road, and don't worry if your house gets on fire, the firetruck will be there in a few minutes" Do you see the difference? The taxes were here trying to help you and the citizens of the country you live in. They also spent that money buying 2 fighter jets and tanks? That's unfortunate, that would be useful if there was some way to make your voice heard. That new house and jet the mafia built, you will never have any benefits from it. So: how is taxation different from extortion, besides that we're threatened with imprisonment instead of violence? A: One of them, in essence, is trying to help you, the other one does not care about you.
- sillygeese 11y ago
  Come on. It's more like: "I took some of your money for myself, gave some to my cronies so that I'll get their bribes in the future too, and a part of it was used to run all kinds of pointless bureauracy. Oh, and we provided you with shitty health-care services you still didn't need". If a McDonald's starts forcefully taking a cut of your income every month, but delivers you a few Big Macs "in return", is that alright? You're getting "services" so it's all good? > A: One of them, in essence, is trying to help you, the other one does not care about you. No. Actually, they take your money by force exactly because they're not trying to help you. Otherwise you'd just be paying for the goods and services you want to pay for.

throwaway507212 11y ago

>>>>> how is taxation different from extortion, besides that we're threatened with imprisonment instead of violence? If the mafia takes away 20% of your income (and also the people around you), and then comes back to you 2 years later to report what they did with the money: "Your money and the one from your friends helped me buy this new house on the lake, and this private jet. I had to use some to pay the workers because I'm not enslaving people" If a country takes the same amount of money and comes back to you 2 years later: "Your money was used to build this new road to improve the local economy, also we were able to save 3 persons from a fire thanks to this new fire truck, and treat 2 people at the hospital. Feel free to use that new road, and don't worry if your house gets on fire, the firetruck will be there in a few minutes" Do you see the difference? The taxes were here trying to help you and the citizens of the country you live in. They also spent that money buying 2 fighter jets and tanks? That's unfortunate, that would be useful if there was some way to make your voice heard. That new house and jet the mafia built, you will never have any benefits from it. So: how is taxation different from extortion, besides that we're threatened with imprisonment instead of violence? A: One of them, in essence, is trying to help you, the other one does not care about you.

sillygeese 11y ago
Come on. It's more like: "I took some of your money for myself, gave some to my cronies so that I'll get their bribes in the future too, and a part of it was used to run all kinds of pointless bureauracy. Oh, and we provided you with shitty health-care services you still didn't need". If a McDonald's starts forcefully taking a cut of your income every month, but delivers you a few Big Macs "in return", is that alright? You're getting "services" so it's all good? > A: One of them, in essence, is trying to help you, the other one does not care about you. No. Actually, they take your money by force exactly because they're not trying to help you. Otherwise you'd just be paying for the goods and services you want to pay for.