Why Taxes Feel Like Forced Slavery – A Critical Perspective

---

Bing AI

Hello dear readers and loyal visitors of my blog, I welcome you once again to this space where we share knowledge.

Today I'm going to talk to you about taxes.

The subject of taxes is something truly unpleasant for most people, because the word itself says it: tax [impuesto], it's something you're forced to do without your prior consent, something you're compelled to comply with, it's like a form of slavery if we look at it from this perspective, because imposing something on someone... well, I don't think that's right in any way.

Things should be done by one's own free will.

So, starting from this concept, the term 'tax' is obviously something unpleasant for most people, and of course, I'm no exception.

If anyone loves their freedom, it's me. I'm not someone who likes having things imposed on me.

Let's begin by answering each of the questions posed to us this week in Hive Learners.

The first is: How bad are the tax laws in your country?

In Venezuela, tax laws are quite severe, as we're required to pay taxes at least once a year.

Our bank accounts immediately detect the movements or transactions we make and are required by government laws to give that information to government institutions, in this case the SENIAT, which is the regulatory body for taxes in my country.

And when the bank sees that you receive or move a certain amount of money in your bank account monthly, it's required to pass this information to SENIAT, and SENIAT contacts the person, sends them a message (because obviously the banks have the person's data: their home address, email, and cell phone numbers).

The laws require you to pay the tax and can even deduct it from your bank account without your authorization, the taxes based on what you earn directly.

This is really annoying, because a person might have a certain amount of money in their savings account and end up receiving unexpected deductions from the government, simply for money that was legally earned and generated through work or the person's occupations.

This is the first point in answering the question.

Bing AI

The next question is: How much do you have to pay monthly to the government?

This question is difficult to answer, because depending on how much income the person has had during the year, they'll have to file their tax return and generally pay based on everything received annually.

This depends, obviously, if the person receives more than a certain amount of money per year, then they'll have to pay higher taxes.

Such is the case for people who have large businesses and generate large amounts of money, as they're required to pay many taxes for everything they generate annually, and generally it's a quite significant amount.

Depending on the country, I've heard that for example in Spain the figures can be up to 50 percent of what you earn or more.

Here in Venezuela, well, the figures are alarming. Here, for example, we have to pay for all goods and all consumption we make a tax that's already included in what we want to buy: food, services, etc.

For example, I pay about $30 monthly for internet service and taxes. Of those $30, about $10 is just in taxes; that is, a third of the services and what I pay is actually for taxes. A tax called VAT [IVA], known as Value Added Tax, which they charge me just for using that service.

The company has to pay those taxes and passes that cost on to the user, and one has to pay it.

So, imagine: I could save, right, a third of what I pay for internet and would only have to pay $20 if I didn't have to pay taxes, which is a lot.

It's really impressive the discount I'd get if I weren't forced to pay that.

Let's move to the next question: How much of what you see in infrastructure and tax management by the nation do you see being used?

Well here we encounter another problem, which is that most of the money paid in taxes goes to the pockets of corrupt people or those who embezzle public funds.

In Venezuela's particular case, corruption is perhaps among the highest in the world. We're known for being a country of mafias, drug traffickers, and extremely corrupt politicians.

And therefore, public service infrastructures - healthcare, roads - are extremely deteriorated, because well, tax resources don't go to repairing roads but rather the funds are stolen.

Such is the case, for example, with the Guri Dam, where 10 of the turbines that were supposed to be purchased were bought, but with obsolete materials and equipment or with equipment that was actually good but was looted and dismantled, and we were left with just one turbine.

And this is one of the reasons why the country has major water supply problems, and we don't have daily water in different sectors of the country.

The same happens with the electrical service, where we suffer blackouts precisely because of these turbines, because of just one turbine that works and powers the entire country.

Bing AI

This is a huge problem, because the funds aren't properly used for infrastructure but are diverted to payments to private contractor concessions who are allies of these corrupt politicians, who give them these concessions or contracts to repair streets, roads, or purchase equipment at inflated prices.

And the tax money is diverted and goes entirely to these companies and the commissions these people receive.

We don't have good public services, and taxes are being misused.

And we come to the final question: How could the government make taxes be used properly?

Well this is actually quite hard to answer, because I believe it should be in the hands of the population itself to use taxes, and it should be something that isn't necessarily imposed, but rather a collaborative fee to improve services in the community where each person lives.

It should be in each person's own interest to voluntarily contribute part of their earnings so services in their organization or community continue functioning.

And we're talking about roads, public lighting, security services like police, and health services: public hospitals and such.

People should contribute voluntarily, organizing themselves communally into squads dedicated to each category needing attention or contribution. That is, one group of people would dedicate themselves exclusively to contributing part of their income for healthcare, others for security, others for electricity, others for food.

And this way, I believe the government, instead of imposing taxes, could create a collaborative system that might work.

But for this to be viable, people need to be re-educated.

And here's the problem: that people probably, if not forced or compelled, won't want to contribute voluntarily.

Although we'd have to see how well it would work, because if taxes were eliminated and things were left in people's hands, well people wouldn't want services to stop functioning and should be concerned about contributing to maintain, for example, water, electricity, and food supply services, etc.

I repeat: I believe taxes shouldn't be something people are forced to participate in or do against their will.

It should be something voluntary, where people are aware that their participation and contribution are necessary to live in community and enjoy various services that are truly important.

This is my viewpoint on the subject of taxes: they shouldn't be imposed, but should be voluntary on the part of the people."

---