Loot and Extortion. Statues at Trago Mills (near Liskeard, Cornwall), dedicated to the UK Inland Revenue Service
The position that taxation is theft, and therefore immoral, is found in a number of political philosophies. Its popularization marks a significant departure from conservatism and classical liberalism, and has been considered radical by many as a result.[1][2] The position is often held by anarcho-capitalists, objectivists, most minarchists, anarchists, right-wing libertarians, and voluntaryists.
Proponents of this position see taxation as a violation of the non-aggression principle.[3] Under this view, government transgresses property rights by enforcing compulsory tax collection, regardless of what the amount may be.[4][5] Some opponents of taxation, like Michael Huemer, argue that rightful ownership of property should be based on what he calls "natural property rights", not those determined by the law of the state.[6]
Defenders of taxation argue that the notions of both legal private property rights and theft are defined by the legal framework of the state, and thus taxation by the state does not represent a violation of property law, unless the tax itself is illegal.[7][8] Some defenders of taxation, such as socialist Matt Bruenig, argue that the phrase "taxation is theft" is question-begging, since it relies on presupposing a particular theory of property entitlement.[9]
^Goff, Phillip (29 September 2019). "Is taxation theft?". Aeon Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020. Some radical libertarians hold that all taxation is immoral, on the grounds that it amounts to the state stealing the money of private citizens. This is an extreme position, but the sense that tax…
^Doherty, Brian (2009). Radicals for Capitalism. ISBN 9780786731886. Retrieved 22 August 2022 – via Google Books. Doherty notes that in the 1960s, the self-proclaimed Radical Libertarian Alliance had "taxation is theft" as a central tenet and a constituent of its motto.
^Chodorov, Frank (26 February 2007). "Taxation Is Robbery". Mises Institute. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
^Feser, Edward. "Taxation, Forced Labor, and Theft (The Independent Review, Fall 2000, pp. 219–235)" (PDF). Retrieved 10 July 2012.
^Tame, Chris R. "Taxation Is Theft (Libertarian Alliance Political Note No 44, 1989)" (PDF). Retrieved 2 September 2012.
^"Is Taxation Theft?". Libertarianism.org. Spring 2017.
^Cite error: The named reference Murphy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Badie, Bertrand; Berg-Schlosser, Dirk; Morlino, Leonardo, eds. (2011). "???". International Encyclopedia of Political Science. SAGE Publications. p. 2132. doi:10.4135/9781412994163. ISBN 9781412959636. Hence, private property cannot exist without a political system that defines its existence, its use, and the conditions of its exchange. That is, private property is defined and exists only because of politics.
The position that taxation is theft, and therefore immoral, is found in a number of political philosophies. Its popularization marks a significant departure...
such as libertarians and anarcho-capitalists are anti-taxation and denounce taxation broadly or in its entirety, classifying taxationastheft or extortion...
Plagiarism Property is theft! Secret profit Skimming (casinos) TaxationastheftTheft Act Usufruct White-collar crime Specific forms of theft and other related...
Road to Serfdom Self-ownership Serfdom Taxationastheft Tax noncompliance Tax protester history Voluntary taxation David F. Burg (2004). A World History...
government that is imposing the tax, or to government policy, or as opposition to taxation in itself. Tax resistance is a form of direct action and, if in...
corruption Principal–agent problem Racket (crime) Revolutionary tax TaxationastheftTaxation of the Jews in Europe Transparency International Triad (organized...
the philosophy of tax resistance, from the "no taxation without representation" axiom that served as a foundation of the Revolution to the assertion...
rituals such as fasting or praying. However they do focus on the spiritual aspect of all mainstream religions as well as good values, such as modesty, honesty...
actually a tax. Optimal tax, the study of developing the best tax system Taxationastheft, the belief that all taxes are immoral Tax incidence, the effect a...
Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Twitter. Behrman, Dan "Taxation Is Theft". "Dan "Taxation Is Theft" Behrman". behrman2020.com. Robb. "FEC Form 2" (PDF)...
commander in the city, and many of his subordinates turned to illegal taxation and theft, in order to earn an income. The situation remained calm until 1993...
Philadelphia merchants were greater smugglers of tea than their Boston counterparts. As a result, the East India Company appealed for financial relief to the British...
up tax hell in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Anarcho-capitalism Taxationastheft Tax haven Miller, Jay (15 December 2015). "Why Wisconsin remains a...
subjected to force labour demands from the soldiers and arbitrary taxation (essentially theft). IDPs are also vulnerable to torture; murder and rape by soldiers...
consent of their owners, are theft. In particular, redistributive taxation is theft. Some property rights theorists (such as Nozick) also take a consequentialist...
Outline of libertarianism Paleolibertarianism "Property is theft!" Refusal of work "Taxation is theft!" Technolibertarianism Wolff, Jonathan (2016). "Libertarianism"...
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