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"...Every government must do its work by collecting wealth in one form or another. The only two ways in which such (money) can be obtained are, first, by robbing a neighbor, or second, persuading a government's own citizens to grant the (money) willingly and peaceably.
"...(T)here is no possibility of robbing a neighbor, except as the result of an occasional rebellion and its repression. This does not happen often enough to support the government--and, if it did, the government would be too unstable to last long, in any case.
"...Therefore, (money) must be raised by asking the citizens to hand over part of their wealth for government use. Presumably, since the government will then work efficiently, the citizens can better spend their (money) in this way than to hoard it--each man to himself--while living in a dangerous and chaotic anarchy.
"However, though the request is reasonable and the citizenry is better off paying taxes as their price for maintaining a stable and efficient government, they are nevertheless reluctant to do so. In order to overcome this reluctance, governments must make it appear that they are not taking too (much money), and that they are considering each citizen's rights and benefits. In other words, they must lower the percentage taken out of low incomes; they must allow deductions of various kinds to be made before the tax is assessed, and so on.
"As time goes on, the tax situation inevitably grows more and more complex as different (States), different sectors within each (State), and different economic divisions all demand and require special treatment. The result is that the tax-collecting branch of the government grows in size and complexity and tends to become uncontrollable. The average citizen cannot understand why or how much he is being taxed; what he can get away with and what he can't. The government and the tax agency itself are often in the dark as well.
"What's more, an ever-larger fraction of the funds collected must be put into running the over elaborate tax agency--maintaining records, pursuing tax delinquents--so the amount of (money) available for good and useful purposes declines despite anything we can do.
"In the end, the tax situation becomes overwhelming. It inspires discontent and rebellion. The history books tend to ascribe these things to greedy businessmen, to corrupt politicians, to brutal warriors, to ambitious (government representatives)--but these are just the individuals who take advantage of the tax overgrowth."
-- Dr. Isaac Asimov in the book, Forward the Foundation, pages 253 to 254.
[Notes by Wolf Britain: When the government uses some of the taxes it collects, for the purpose of helping the poor, many of the tax paying citizens resent and begrudge the money they pay in taxes being used to assist the poor, and complain. Yet, for what other primary purpose was mankind placed on this Earth but to help their fellow human beings, in particular the poor, senior citizens and the disabled? It is the ultimate in selfishness to wish to withhold such assistance. Thank God, or Goodness, whichever you prefer, for His blessed help for such persons from whatever source!]
(source: http://www.form-legal.com/favquotes.html)
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