"When they started printing money, they also set some conditions on it, and one of them was taxation. Take it - or leave it!"

Utter rubbish. Taxation existed way before money existed. Several thousand years in fact.

"This is exactly what Jesus told the Pharisees: "Give unto Caesar what is his".

Have you ever heard of "of the people, by the people, for the people"? The government is the people. The taxation is the people's. People elect government to distribute and mange their money.

You carry on as though the people are the subjects of the government. That's not true in a democracy.

Yuyutsu, have you ever ridden on a train? Driven on a public road? Watched the ABC? Lodged a tax return? Then you are also participating in using the services of government. Its impossible to live here, or anywhere else for that matter, and not participate in the actions of government.

"Have you ever seen any such thing [democracy] - or is this supposed to be a bitter joke?"

Ahhh....the cynic who doesn't actually know what democracy is.

Dear Foxy,

«I wish that all the schools in this country, in all
their diversity, were simply available to all children
and their families without discrimination.»

All schools are already available to all, provided the parents have enough money to pay for them, provided that they are not too far from the child's home for them to travel each morning, and provided they are willing to comply with the school's laws, well also provided that they do not have serious disabilities that prevent them from studying and require different kinds of schooling.

Now such unfortunate children and families that are without discrimination, don't even know or care which school they go to.

---

Dear Mhaze,

«Taxation existed way before money existed. Several thousand years in fact.»

Exactly, and it was very wrong and cruel:
while people asked nothing of the kings, the latter nevertheless raided their homes and took away by force their crops, animals, tools, sons and daughters.

However, when money was introduced, people were no strangers to taxes and should have known that if they accept that money then it would be subject to tax.
Why then did they accept it? For convenience? Then they should not complain when they had to pay for that convenience.

«Have you ever heard of "of the people, by the people, for the people"?»

I have heard of that and so many other propaganda slogans... like "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs".

But who ever asked the actual people whether they even want a government?

«Its impossible to live here, or anywhere else for that matter, and not participate in the actions of government.»

Indeed, and that is very sad and unfair.

«Ahhh....the cynic who doesn't actually know what democracy is.»

I know too well about that concept, but wouldn't approve of it even if it was ever successfully implemented.

"I know too well about that concept [democracy], but wouldn't approve of it even if it was ever successfully implemented."

Yes, it is truly said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have ever been tried.

"«Taxation existed way before money existed. Several thousand years in fact.»

Exactly, and it was very wrong and cruel:"

But but but...you'd just got through saying taxation was introduced when money was invented.
If you're gunna change your entire argument when I present facts, perhaps a little acknowledgement wouldn't go astray.

Trying to quote Churchill are we mhaze? Next time do a 'Google' and get it right.

It always surprises and amazes me people I consider reasonably intelligent and educated, people who would say its an absurdity to believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy. Yet the same intelligent people wholeheartedly believe in winged angles fluttering around the place, devils in fires, as well as an old man sitting up in the clouds with his son and a ghost.

Dear Mhaze,

«But but but...you'd just got through saying taxation was introduced when money was invented.»

In agreement with you, yes, taxation was invented before money, but taxation on money was not introduced before money itself.

As I said earlier, taxation on one's crops, animals, tools, sons and daughters, etc. is wrong and cruel: that is because the king comes in unasked to rob innocent people.

But taxation on money is different: in this case, the king printed/coined the money and therefore it is OK for him to set conditions over its use, taxation included, so if people willingly accept that money because they find it convenient, then there is nothing wrong about paying for that convenience in tax.

Hi Yuyutsu,

It's believed that in Ancient Egypt the common people had to labour for part of the year for the State/Pharaoh, a kind of tax. That's why it thought the Pyramids were constructed by both slaves and free men, some labour was paid, but it was in the form of beer.