forgotten_aria

Some see the bad side--Extortion: Pay us or we send men with guns to take you to a place of confinement.

Or we can recognize it as a contract: The government provides the monetary instruments which we will all agree to honor, and in return for using the system, part of the flow is used to support our group efforts. So many important and good things can only be properly accomplished if we all contribute. Taxation just makes sure the selfish don't get a free ride. The hard part is making it fair.