02-03-2018, 12:34 AM
(02-02-2018, 04:33 AM)theory Wrote: The people of the various provinces are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords, bows, spears, firearms or other types of arms. The possession of these elements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues, and tends to permit uprising.
Taxes are far easier to collect now because of the withholding of income tax, practically-instant collection of sales taxes from brick-and-mortar stores and many Internet retailers, and direct deposit that puts money into bank accounts that governments can seize easily with a warrant. The only income that is not taxed easily is either in cash businesses (and many of these are used for concealing illegal income) and of course the theoretically-taxable sales transactions and income of such illicit activities as drug-dealing, illegal gambling, bootlegging, and prostitution.
Governments typically seize assets associated with those who commit such deeds, perhaps justified because of the pervasive tax cheating by people who operate criminal enterprises.
Form 1040 has a notice that income from embezzlement and other larceny is taxable income. Few people report such activity -- far fewer than those who commit it.
It's practically impossible to make honest income or make purchases (where there is a sales tax) and not pay the mandated taxes.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.