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From: carnes@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP (Richard Carnes)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Taxation is theft?
Message-ID: <326@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 6-Feb-85 20:22:39 EST
Article-I.D.: gargoyle.326
Posted: Wed Feb  6 20:22:39 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Feb-85 04:29:44 EST
Organization: U. Chicago - Computer Science
Lines: 42

JoSH says:
> The libertarian points out that taxation is theft in order to make the
> point that something that is wrong for one person to do, is wrong for a
> group to do.  If it is indeed "natural justice" for the government to do 
> it, then what you're saying is that it should be OK for anyone to do it.

Libertarian, n.  A person who has great difficulty distinguishing between a
lexicographic question and a question of political philosophy.

Theft, n.  A transfer of wealth which is against the law.

Taxation, n.  A [particular kind of] transfer of wealth which is enforced by
law.

So much for the lexicographic question; now for political philosophy.  The
question:  Is taxation necessarily unjust?  JoSH gives the standard
libertarian response here, the retreat into dogmatism:  taxation is always
unjust because I firmly believe it is, and furthermore I am pounding the
table when I say it.  

However, if you wish to persuade anyone of your views, you must present
rational arguments in their support.  In this case, since the claim is being
made that a certain class of actions is unjust, these arguments, taken
together, are called a "theory of distributive justice."  (By everyone
except our friend nrh, that is--to him, "a theory of distributive justice"
means a specification of who gets how much.  To the rest of us, the term
means an explanation of the nature of "justice" in the distribution of
wealth and other social goods.)  Would libertarians be so good as to provide
this explanation.  Would they also please note that the denial that taxation
is always unjust does not imply that taxation is always just.  

> In our own society, as in medieval England and ancient Israel, it is the 
> government which is rich and the people who are poor.

This will be news to the Treasury Dept.  Last I heard the federal government
owed about $1 trillion and was sinking fast with no relief in sight.  Or
were you referring to all the millionaires in Congress and the Reagan
Administration?  It is true that the government owns a lot of real estate.
For the most part this is accessible for public use or is used for public
purposes.

Richard Carnes, ihnp4!gargoyle!carnes