k wrote:

Decius wrote:
It does not follow from the conclusion that taxation is theft that taxation isn't necessary or even immoral.

The word "theft" implies immorality.

You are implying some sort of argumentative slight of hand that I am not employing. Theft is when you take something from someone without their consent, sometimes by force. While theoretically speaking our government occurs by consent its not as if people have the real alternative of not participating. The government is a monopolpy on the use of force, and it applies that force to extract taxes. When people get together and impose greater taxes in order to create social services they are literally taking money from people by force and redistributing it. It literally is theft. The heart of the libertarian perspective is that this can never be moral. On the other hand many people on the left do not appreciate that there is any moral hazard associated with it at all. I don't agree with either perspective. If you are drowning and there is someone near by in a yacht, and they won't let you on willingly, I don't think its immoral for you to force your way on if the only alternative is drowning (although helping yourself to the wine after is a bit much). However, a court might literally see this as piracy.

RE: FIVE CONSERVATIVE MYTHS