Moral duty to pay taxes - when?

[AzDesertRat]

it's been said already

moral <> legal

morally I would give my resources towards causes I believe in which would comprise .0000001% of what our tax dollars are spent on. Legally, politicians are greedy SOB's who make these programs so constituents can vote them back into office.

[hmkpoker]

Arnfinn:

This may be better suited to SMP, but what is a moral obligation?

[bobman0330]

[ QUOTE ]
morally I would give my resources towards causes I believe in which would comprise .0000001% of what our tax dollars are spent on.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't really get this. Even if the government didn't exist, and was replaced by the wonderfully efficient private sector, you'd spend a healthy fraction of your tax bill on roads, police/fire protection, national defense, etc. It must be at least 10% of what you pay now, and it's probably closer to 1/3 or 1/2 (depending also on what you would pay for if you had the choice). Do people not feel an obligation to pay for the benefits they receive and would choose to pay for in a free society?

[Arnfinn Madsen]

[ QUOTE ]
Arnfinn:

This may be better suited to SMP, but what is a moral obligation?

[/ QUOTE ]

Judging by the responses I used too strong words (and unclear [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]) I think. I wasn't thinking of a situation where you have the choice between paying taxes and paying an operation for your child, rather in which regimes you would pay under normal circumstances because you would consider it the ethical thing to do.

[NickMPK]

I would say you are morally obligated to pay your taxes unless (a) you are not represented in the country's political process, or (b) you are not free to leave the country.

[Felz]

You don't pay taxes because of moral duty, you pay taxes because you entered a contract, known as constitution.

[GoodCallYouWin]

"
You don't pay taxes because of moral duty, you pay taxes because you entered a contract, known as constitution.
"

What part of the constitution says I have to pay for you to get brainwashed by the state?

[ALawPoker]

This is a weird question. Do I think taxation is a worthwhile policy? No. Do I like paying taxes? No. Would I feel guilty if I didn't? Yes.

I don't have a problem with people who think taxation is bad and that they'd like to change public sentiment to eventually eliminate the state. But morally you can't have your cake and eat it too.

The way our society is set up, it'd be an enormous hassle to avoid using public things. I don't "fault" other people for thinking the state is a good solution even if I don't agree. So I wouldn't feel right using their things and then not paying them for it.

I'm amazed that so many high and mighty ACers think that it'd be morally OK to not pay some tax (assuming it's inevitable that they use some state resources). But maybe all you mean is that you shouldn't pay the entire tax, but you agree that you owe someone something for what you did use. Please clarify.

You could say that you think not paying results in greater good (despite not paying for things you use) in that it expedites the mindset that the state is wrong. But that relies on the belief that such a shift in mindset will ever entirely happen. I'm not sure it will. So in the meantime, you're just a thief.

To be honest, I feel like anyone who says they don't feel morally obligated to pay taxes is either rationalizing a reason to keep their money or lying to stay in character with their political beliefs. Just be honest. You can still believe wholeheartedly in AC, but also admit "well gee, obviously it's wrong to use something and pay no one for it."

[pvn]

[ QUOTE ]
You don't pay taxes because of moral duty, you pay taxes because you entered a contract, known as constitution.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you show me a copy of this contract with my signature on it?

[Felz]

You entered it by becoming a citizen. Feel free to exercise the exit option.