Should taxation be voluntary?

[All Along The Watchtower]

I thought I would never have to ask this question...but yes, I've met people who think taxation should be voluntary.

[Antonio the Sixth]

[CultureKing]

Well it sort of is. You could voluntarily move to a place where taxes are not collected (aka areas of anarchy like Somalia)/become a hermit.

[TheGlobalizer]

lolwut

(EDIT: I voted yes.  I wouldn't volunteer.)

[opebo]

You can decline the State-provided privileges of ownership and income of course.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Well it sort of is. You could voluntarily move to a place where taxes are not collected (aka areas of anarchy like Somalia)/become a hermit.

You can decline the State-provided privileges of ownership and income of course.

This line of reasoning is technically correct. You want society, you chip into society.

[courts]

Well, yes.. To an extent. I think we should switch to pretty much just sales taxes and fees in part because of that.

[Miles]

It is voluntary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mRSI8yWwg

[RIP Robert H Bork]

That wouldn't make sense; it would defeat the point of taxation.

I don't like taxes, but if they are to exist, making them voluntary would be absurd.

[republicanism]

If in that scenario it would also be voluntary to respect rich people's right of property, sure.

[opebo]

You can decline the State-provided privileges of ownership and income of course.

This line of reasoning is technically correct. You want society, you chip into society.

I'm actually saying more than that - I'm saying that all wealth (privilege) comes from the State.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

You can decline the State-provided privileges of ownership and income of course.

This line of reasoning is technically correct. You want society, you chip into society.

I'm actually saying more than that - I'm saying that all wealth (privilege) comes from the State.

I'm not sure that I'd say it comes from the State originally, but a State that protects it is one of the conditions for it continuing to exist, certainly, so the State can easily strip it since it has a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force by definition. Whether it should or not is another question, one whose answer depends upon the case at hand.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I'd say no.  If you don't want to pay taxes, renounce your citizenship and move somewhere with no taxes.  Part of living in the United States and residing in her borders is the responsibility of paying taxes to ensure that our representative democracy functions.

I love making that argument... especially since the conservative/libertarian argument for just about any hardship is to simply "pack up and move".  If a poor guy with no job and no prospects can be expected to do it... so can the spoiled brats.  Live on a yacht in international waters and provide for yourself!