If no one pays taxes, how does any government system supply basic needs (e.g. roads, law enforcement, etc.)? And don't say inflation, which is taxes disguised.
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If no one pays taxes, how does any government system supply basic needs (e.g. roads, law enforcement, etc.)? And don't say inflation, which is taxes disguised.
Since I am a free man, which means I define government by force as slavery, I intend to fund essential services through other means than slavery.
Anarchy is not easy, but it is not impossible. Slavery is easy to undertake, but more difficult to tolerate than freedom.
In fact, each person is free. We decide, when a sword is held to our throat and our money demanded, whether to pay or die. That means the choice is up to us, not our oppressors. The wise thing to do is to prevent thugs from reaching our throat with swords.
Once we attain that, we can debate which services are essential, and how we shall undertake funding them. As to inflation, fraud is a crime. Inflation is only possible in a system of fiat money, which is fraud to begin with. Sound money does not inflate.
So Steem is not sound money? How would you fund essential services other than by requesting a fee (taxes) for their existence?
In a perfect world, Steem would be even less sound, as it's inflationary aspect would be far more onerous. It's a far better currency than most any other of which I am familiar, but this does not make it perfectly sound. That's a different discussion than our present debate, however.
Taxation is not 'requesting a fee.' It is taking wealth from it's possessor by force.
I submit that there are myriad examples of essential services being funded voluntarily, and this is actually one of Steem's best features. Other than flagging, which is the involuntary deprivation of the flaggee's potential Steem (still not taxation), I am unaware of any forced taxation Steem effects.
Yet Steem can be used for any purpose of governance. For example, a HOA (Homeowner's association) could form a Steem based network and voluntarily contribute nominal funding for planting a highway margin with flowers, or effect the removal of junkies under an overpass. Using Steem to upvote such a proposal isn't taxation, but voluntary funding of essential services.
Folks unwilling to pay to shoot and bury the junkies would not be forced to pony up, but if sufficient funds were voted the proposal, murder might result anyway. Same with planting the flowers along the highway.
The first principle regarding taxation for me is rule by force, and I am convinced it cannot end well. I am not capable of ensuring that voluntary contributions can end well, but since involuntary taxation cannot end well, it's the only direction to proceed in attempting to end things well.
Steem does have a voluntary tax, and that is inflation. Steem would work the exact same and have the exact same system if every year your Steem balance is taxed about 10% and that is distributed to SP holders, witnesses, and posters (for upvotes). Inflation is taxation. There is no difference, except one is simply a hidden form of the other.
Could you give me a detailed example of how a voluntary police force would work so that I can have a better idea of what you are proposing?
Inflation amounts to the deprivation of money just as does a tax, but it is not a tax, and I have addressed my disaffection with it. I reckon Steem would be better without it, closer to 'sound money', but it is still better than most any I am aware of. I doubt we disagree as to the general soundness of Steem much, in view of our continued presence here.
Prior to the 20th Century, America had few police. There were Sheriffs, and Marshals, and generally folks simply handled their business. Innumerable mechanisms and examples of private or voluntary police forces have been proposed, but I reckon people preventing criminals from committing crimes against them is a far better system than some kind of police force that is summoned after a crime has been committed, for many and myriad reasons.
I'm not making a proposal, per se, simply noting that Steem can be used to fund services voluntarily that most people consider government essential for.