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Naive, but how the fuck did we end up with so many taxes?
1962 sats \ 29 comments \ @stack_harder 2 Feb econ
I was thinking about this last night and I couldn't help thinking, how did we end up with so many taxes?
The level of taxation, in most countries, is quite literally off the scales, but at some point, there had to have been votes on these things and I just can't understand why this disgusting tax-creep keeps happening.
is it just because the stupid, broken fiat government doesn't have any other way ways drumming up money?
How did anyone decide inheritance tax was a reasonable thing? at some point, this issue would have been put to a vote and somehow they decided that if someone saves up their whole life and manages to put aside a good chunk for the kids, the government gets to take a slice, even though tax was paid on that money. it's basically a double tax. pensions are also taxed, which I find outrageous.
then of course, whenever they set these fiat limits on inheritance tax for example (in the UK it;s like 325k pounds), yeah it sounds a lot, but with fiat debasement, we know that in the next decade, this means in the future, everyone will be paying it. you won't find a house that costs less (it's already hard) and the kids will be hit with a bill.
I just find it strange that we've ended up with these levels of taxation when people, generally, don't like being taxed and they also don't like voting for politicians that would want to increase or add more taxes.
it's naive I know, but it really is theft at this point and the reason why my bitcoin will be passed down directly.
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212 sats \ 3 replies \ @pillar 2 Feb
Boiling frog.
Spaniards have this fun one. They say: "With patience and saliva, the elephant put his dick inside the ant".
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38 sats \ 1 reply \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
possibly the most brutal analogy i've ever heard lol
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14 sats \ 0 replies \ @itsMoro 2 Feb
haha, ya wow 😅
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 2 Feb
True folk wisdom expressed pithily.
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94 sats \ 2 replies \ @Wumbo 2 Feb
When done gradually it seems "reasonable to most people". Also it is usually is enacted when it does not affect the public to start. "This will only apply to the top 1%" and then over the years it gets lowered to every one.
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42 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 2 Feb
This is the answer. New types of taxes get introduced very selectively and at very low rates, ostensibly to curb some social problem that people are upset about or fund something they want. Then, we're off to the races.
That's why it's so important to reject any and all taxes principle.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
the worst thing i see in the comments of some articles is so many people are like organsiming over rich people paying more tax, they love inheritance tax, obviously because it will never be an issue for them, it looks more like sour grapes (and i say this as someone who is definitely not rich!)
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42 sats \ 0 replies \ @itsrealfake 2 Feb
for the US readers
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31 sats \ 1 reply \ @Aardvark 2 Feb
Death by 1000 cuts. We went to war over a tax on tea, and now we're paying taxes to build stadiums for billionaires so that their teams can have more seats to sell.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
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37 sats \ 0 replies \ @anon 2 Feb
Wait, you guys are paying taxes?
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10 sats \ 1 reply \ @kruw 2 Feb
at some point, this issue would have been put to a vote
Voting is what led to this organized crime in the first place. Democracy gives mobs of thieves the opportunity to formally decide how they will split up the loot they tax from their political opponents. Democracy must be abolished, then we can live safely in a tax-free world.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
yeah, but before democracy it was just some king or a lord taking the tax, even if democrazy was abolished, tax would find its way back in in one form or anopther
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32 sats \ 1 reply \ @GhostofTruth 2 Feb
Growing gov bodies, welfare state and bureaucracy is the consequence of our infantile desire to get anything for free and without effort. These tendencies are inherent of the democratic process that degenerates at last to open voter corruption
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
when I look at the UK and how sucking benefits has become basically more lucrative than working most jobs, it really makes me disgusted.
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32 sats \ 2 replies \ @rebel_nomad 2 Feb
Oh, that is easy to answer, by not doing this regularly:
https://dutchreview.com/culture/dutch-history-crowds-ate-prime-minister/
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10 sats \ 1 reply \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
eat the FED could be a new slogan lol
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14 sats \ 0 replies \ @rebel_nomad 3 Feb
Too bad this guy is gone, he could have eaten the Eccles building itself!
https://www.uniladtech.com/vehicles/plane-news/man-superhuman-ability-digest-metal-ate-airplane-535569-20240207
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 2 Feb
Because we were all asleep at the switch when they propositioned us with the envious approach of, “We will make those other illegitimates pay, not you!” And, of course, as the envious clods we are we went after their lies, hook, line and sinker. Once they set the hook, they played us like chumps, reeled us in, brutally gaffed us and bashed us on the head with a huge mallet to knock us out and attached the tax to every one of us with their special numbering system. Now we are just waiting for the final processing, so they can eat us easily.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Diego 2 Feb
Coincidentally started listening to this today to get a better understanding of this. https://www.amazon.com/Follow-Money-much-does-Britain/dp/1408714019
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @denlillaapan 2 Feb
But the people like the goodies, and they certainly like fat cats being shafted for it. Blah-blah democracy and solidarity etc.
Also
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Scroogey 2 Feb
John Brooks' Business Adventures third chapter 'The Federal Income Tax' covers the history of income taxes (up to the 1960s, at least). It's fascinating and a funny read (for those so inclined).
Financing of wars played a role. Who pays how much has changed multiple times, in different directions.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
UK has had some form of inheritance tax since the late 1600s, first inheritance tax on inherited property was in like 1853. it's why we have all these cool out statley houses and castles in the UK in trusts now because the heirs just couldn't afford to pay the tax.
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0 sats \ 4 replies \ @godlikeXi 2 Feb
Services. You like services right? Roads? Bridges? Infrastructure? Military? You want any sense of safety of water and food?
Someone needs to pay for that.
I mean... there's always Somalia. I mean it run by Warlords. You too can be a Warlord if you have enough cash and weapons... go far it.
I'm good here in stupid fucking America. :)
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15 sats \ 1 reply \ @kruw 2 Feb
Someone needs to pay for that.
Of course, "someone" does need to pay for it, we are deciding WHO pays for it:
Can you explain why people who don't consume these services directly should pay for it (taxes) instead of why people who do consume these services directly should pay for it (free market)?
Why should I pay for a bridge I'll never drive on? Why should I pay for a school I'll never go to? Why should I pay for a military to invade a foreign country that I know is innocent?
Taxation enables not only massive economic waste, but unaccountable bloodshed.
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 2 Feb
The only answer is voluntarism.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @stack_harder OP 2 Feb
this is just an extreme end of the spectrum, what I'm saying is why the extreme overreach in taxation.
how are things like capital gains and inheritance fair in any way? you like tax, great, well you already paid it and then get taxed AGAIN. then they steal from your children.
France is trying to get a tax on unrealized capital gains, Holland already tried it. how about that? they get enough tax for the roads as it is.
just saying they can tax everything to infinity because 'who will build the roads' isn't really a solution
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 2 Feb
Taxes work because you can always get the other guy to pay for what you are getting. It doesn’t matter what, just as long as it is free to you and someone else pays. It is called envy and is the source of all progressive/lefty/Marxist/socialist/communist/murderers power and incentive to action. Time to wake up and die right.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Butterfinger 2 Feb
Easy talk and laziness
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