The History of Taxation - a series of lectures by Charles Adams

Elections have at least one redeeming feature; they tend to get people thinking about taxes. Charles Adams is perhaps the most informed person on the planet on the subject of taxes, and the Mises Institute offers a course of 10 hour long lectures. It's free; don't miss it.

Quotes and comments;

Lecture #1. Adams tells a story about Frederick the Great who asked an advisor where all the tax revenue was going (I guess as he didn't see much going to him? to the people?) and supposedly (to demonstrate what happens) the advisor had a page bring in an ice cube, and had it passed hand to hand from everyone in the room up to Frederick, and by the time it got there it had disappeared.

- So very, true; there's a million political parasites with their hands out... pretenders of compassion, and it's they who profit most from Socialism. (The working classes would be far better off without it.)

Notes;
1. I think it was Freddie the great; I'm writing this up from memory.
2. Any taxation rate over 10 percent is a clear indication the people in that society consider God to be of less importance than mankind; that they consider Humanism more important than Christianity and Biblical Faith. (i.e. any taxation rate over 10 percent is idolatry.)
- it's my contention that people who believe in a government tax rate of over ten percent are incapable of true worship. (I've seen no evidence such a thing is possible, or has ever happened. Their god is not the Creator, but their own sad selves.)
- Socialism is at heart the worship of man. (In practice it's the political elite forcing the masses to worship their rulers.)
- taxes over 10 percent sends a simple message that Biblical faith is a delusion. (In reality there is no need for such parasitical rates. The welfare state isn't a necessity; but a tool whereby the political elite exploit the masses.)
3. I should add that I disagree with Adams on many things.