Why exactly do we have to pay taxes?

Answer 1

So that MP's don't have to get proper jobs......

Answer 2

To pay for our country to run as a community for all to share in. Most notably for social infrastructure such as roads; education and welfare, hospital, defence, scientific matters, pensions and other benefits and so on. People like to think that we should just pay as we go, ie the way VAT operates, if you don't buy it you don't pay for it but if you consider the diverse personalities of people there would never be a consensus of agreement as to whether we should pay for a proposed project. Would you voluntarily pay for the running of Parliament? Do you like paying for your dental treatment? Since the Thatcher government there has been more emphasis on private sector funding of iniatives which is why we now get tolls on some motorways for instance, but conversely it is why train lines are not so well run and are expensive, they have to make a profit and pay their own way, they are no longer run by a nationalised firm as a 'social service' the way they are in other European countries. Basically if you want lower taxes you will get less provided for you.

Answer 3

Before about 1910, there was no income tax. When they first started, it was only supposed to be for one year. My grandfather told me when they used to come around in the beginning and ask for taxes, he would just say "I don't have them", and they would say "Oh, ok", and that was it.

The government needs a steady source of revenue (money) to provide services (that sometimes seem like disservices when you are on the wrong end of them, but nevertheless) that would not work if it was on a pay as you need it basis.

For example, if your house was burning down, without taxes, the fire department would show up and say "give us $80,000 or we won't save your house." Also, crooks aren't going to PAY to be arrested, but society needs them stopped

Also, we need to be defended from organized enemies, or we could all be pushed around my gangs.

Then there are large amounts of people in our society that need our help, or we will all suffer. How would you like it if your grandparents couldn't work anymore, and people just let them die in the streets? Or what if kids who were getting beaten were just left in their parents home because there was no other place for them to go? Or what about emergencies like Hurricane Katrina?

The majority of people would not choose to pay taxes, but we all know that we need them. The complaint most people have is not taxes, but the large amount we have to pay that can be crippling.

Answer 4

You pay taxes to get services.
Do you want to walk to the river to get water? Taxes bring it to you.
Do you want to be illiterate, and unknowledgeable. Taxes brings you schools.

Do you want to have to walk through the Forests all the time.
Taxes bring you roads

Taxes build airports, water ports, schools, hospitals, armies for defence.

I could go on forever, but without taxes, you would probably still live in a log cabin, being a hunter/gatherer for food, die young due to lack of medical aid, that is unless your cabin burns down because you don't have a fire dept....And the economy, could not be what it is without taxes.

Answer 5

if we didn't pay taxes the country would grind to a halt as the treasury would have no finance to pay for maintenance of roads /utilities as are many which is carried out. ( but i still don't like paying them either) and i am not defending Mr Brown he taxes the nation way OTT and when i read MPs run up bills for travel to a sum of £4.5 m and the rises they give themselves in their salary then you cant accept it with anything but mistrust that taxes are so extortionate and we are being taken for idiots and seemingly we can do nothing to halt it}{ so its not surprising we are the 5th richest country in the world with the treasury bursting at the seams

Answer 6

We dont, its actually not written in the constution that we do. The whole reason why our founding fathers came to america was to escape tax from england. When they tried to amend it to the constution hundreds of years later the people voted against it. Again they tried to add it and the people voted against it. There are a handful of people who dont pay taxes and get taken to court every year. They can afford to pay for all the cout fees but they win this case every year!

The bank's are what controlls this county's financial situation. I believe the IRS is not a federal run company.... not too sure but i belive that is what i read. It is run by the banking system of america and nobody is rich enought to fight against their taxes that are not justified. Unless everybody decided to stop paying taxes will will continue to pay.

Answer 7

Just because the government is corrupt and starving to steel from us, just satisfy their insatiability.

Mnvikes, this is your response,

(so the government has money to provide you with stuff like the military/police/fire depts, schools, etc.

money doesnt grow on trees, has to come from somewhere and that stuff isnt cheap) sorry!
Then tell me before our taxes what did they do with the richness of the country, count the resources in yours and I will tell you how those trees call resources produce money, both the government’s own and your own but the have to eat it all and still search in your pocket to fulfill one of these commandments that says, it shall be taken from those who have not and be added to those who have, are you part of them? Stay away oh! because they will pay for it in hell oh!

Answer 8

Did you attend school? Your taxes paid for it. And they pay for the roads you drive on, the fire and police protection that you recieve, and all other government services, locally, statewide, and nationally.

Granted, they also pay for a lot of waste because our representatives and congressmen didn't pass any of their economic classes. They don't seem to be able to add real well.

Answer 9

To pay for central government, for public services like hospitals etc. It costs money running a country, its not a business with a product to sell so they have to be funded some way.

Answer 10

Silly so we can support the thousands of immigrants coming over here, you know they need new cars, houses, phones etc??
Also who pays for Mr Blairs 30 - 40% wage increase each year? While we starve and struggle those b*sterds get richer.... and this was supposed to be a democracy, with the right for any one to get anywhere.... yer pull the other one it has bells on it!!!

Answer 11

just to clarify Income tax was introduced as a temporay measure to fund the Napolonic wars thats 1800s not 1900s,grandad was really really old!!

in general the other aswers on to allow the goverment to provide services to the governed is broadly correct. ;-)