The state is the Mafia
Great post on the forums by Agalloch responding to the following:
Are you seriously trying to say that our country is effectively being run by an entity analogous with the mafia?
“100% Everything the state does, ever has done or ever will do can easily, only and best be explained by understanding this. They just want money. They’re in it to live a good life at the expense of others without having to work hard for a day in their lives. That’s the entire, dull and ultimately obvious point and purpose of Government – hidden behind complexity, ritual and euphemism is a machine for taking your money.
I won’t burden you with fighting your own childhood indoctrination, so instead think back to Medieval times. Think of Disneys Robin Hood, and the Purpose of the Character known as the Sheriff of Nottingham. You can understand that the portrayal is ultimately realistic – and that the peoples of England had at least the self-respect to not even pretend the Sheriff of Nottingham was in anyway a hero, or good. The entire point of this character was to steal money – nicely wrapped up as Taxation – so that the Political class could sit around in Castles while the general populace starved. Please tell me you understand, at least, that the Medieval “Government” had NO function but to take money and to enslave people?
Then just open yours… See the Lords, sat in their House, who used to own Slaves now simply outsorcing them to so-called private companies. See the same Tax system in place, now stated to do good, but still the same racket. Search and Search for the moment when they became moral… and find that you won’t, because it’s the same system, the same racket.”
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April 10th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Excellent post. When people say the government helps the poor, I like to rebut by asking them why then people don’t voluntarily donate money to it. At least here in the U.S., the IRS accepts gifts to the federal government. So it follows that if it actually helped the poor, we’d hear about large donations to the State. But instead we see philanthropists donate to charities or start their own foundations which actually help those in need, rather than seeing their money go toward bombing off-white people, lining the pockets of the well-connected, or both.
April 13th, 2011 at 8:04 am
Taxation for a Minarchist like myself is a necessary evil, but an immoral, unethical evil that should be reduced and eliminated at every possible, practical opportunity.
The State as manifest now runs a protection racket with a bit of religion thrown in. Don’t pay? they drag you off. Don’t obey their commandments? They drag you off.
A classic is the Census, where they threaten you with a fine or imprisonment because…they want to collect stats. STATS? Prison? Because I was not willing to be forced labour and snitch? Stats?
Collect stats and the State will interfere and try and control EVEN MORE SHIT. The Finance MInister of Hong Kong knew this and it was why he refused to produce stats.
April 13th, 2011 at 9:00 am
“every possible, practical opportunity”
THis is great news! I was under the (incorrect) impression that Minarchists wanted some Taxation, but as it’s obviously possible and very practical to get rid of all taxation that makes our positions equal!
I’d love to know you identified the moment at which certain taxes became necessary in history? Ignoring for a second the fact you’re basically watching a rape and saying that this 1 is necessary so long as no more than 3 happen a day, you seem to think this is necessary in unspeakably powerful ways – and so there must have been some point in history where the State gained some useful function? Because the ancient mediedval state Objectively prevented progress that would have saved millions by holding back the industrial revolution for 1000+ years. So clearly theres no useful function there… better that millions lived than anything tbh.
So when did they turn? Was it by any chance when you were in school? Ever thought otherwise? Ever apply this evil but ok rationale to your personal life or only to this one fictional entity?
Otherwise, I’m just mind blown that you can look at people being dragged off, put into cages where they are often raped by other inmates for absurd reasons, that you watch families torn about and then you look at it. And you make some boring noise about how evil it is, and then go “And I want that”.
April 13th, 2011 at 9:14 am
I’d love to know when*
Also. You seem to have missed the point being made. Taxes aren’t just some function of government. They are the POINT of government. The system exists purely to enslave other human beings for their Labour and Money. You’re begging the quesion, saying Government is necessary and so we need Taxation, but Governments only purposes is getting that Taxation, it provides no useful services.