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From: dineen@apollo.uucp (Terence H Dineen)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: freedom, democracy, etc:Reply to cliff
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Date: Thu, 7-Feb-85 16:49:11 EST
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Posted: Thu Feb  7 16:49:11 1985
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> ...
> >But I cannot agree with arguments that there is no justification for taxation,
> >or other such group fees as union dues.  
> 
> Ahh, how subtly it slips by.  Almost escapes one's notice.  Taxation is a
> "group fee"?  Sure am glad to know I can cancel my membership at any time,
> ...
> This is a perverted use of the phrase "group fee", and shows your 
> reluctance to acknowledge the coercive nature of taxation.  
> 
> --Barry
> 
> -- 
> Barry Fagin @ University of California, Berkeley

This is a perverted use of the word "coercive".

You can cancel your membership at anytime.  You are 
free to emigrate.  Former citizens living elsewhere are not taxed (I hope).
I don't like many of the ends to which my taxes are put and I wish
they were used in ways in which they are not but I admit that it is my own
decision to continue to participate in this imperfect union.  I grant that
there aren't any Libertaria's out there to emigrate to but whose fault is
that?  (It is a significant fact, I think.)

To the extent that participation in the tax system is voluntary (in this
fundamental "last resort" sense) how can it be said to be coerced?  

Much more plausible claims of coercion can be made when a state uses force
against persons who have not volunteered to follow its rules (and meta-rules)
or when it uses force against its own members in violation of the agreed upon
rules.  Examples are: (1) force against foreigners who are not posing a clear and 
immediate threat to the human rights of those who are members of that state
and (2) unlawful police violence.

Terry Dineen