Politicians have principles {policy} guiding actions.
Nations can have barriers {iron curtain} to travel and communication.
People can feel chauvinism and aggression {jingoism}|.
The idea that USA should stretch from sea to sea {manifest destiny}| started in 1845.
Judicial and legal procedures follow standards {rule of law}| and encourage human rights, negotiated settlements, minimal force, moral authority, and orderly society.
Governments try to minimize hostile-force disruptions {security, politics}. Inconvenience, time, expense, and obtrusiveness can disrupt security. Security failures have costs. Time, money, and social factors determine security costs. Citizen and security-personnel training can minimize inconvenience, time, expense, and obtrusiveness and maximize security. Intelligence gathering can open possibilities for information abuses and data-obtaining methods.
Governments can obtain revenue by taking sales, property, income, wealth, estate, windfall, or value-added percentages {taxation}|. Only taxation provides government revenue.
purposes
Taxation provides money for defense, security, law enforcement, fire containment, ambulance, health services, public health, courts, legislatures, executive branch, foreign affairs, roads, transportation infrastructure, utilities, education, employment services, welfare programs, environmental programs, agriculture services, business services, regulation, and housing.
comparison
Governments can require fees, duties, and licenses, which typically cover administration expenses.
fairness
Taxation fairness requires that taxation has no loopholes. Fairness can require that people pay same marginal amounts. Fairness can require that people pay for what they get. Fairness does not require that people pay equal shares. Regressive taxes, such as property tax, sales tax, and value-added taxes, cannot be fair, because they do not account for people's ability to pay or for government value. Progressive taxes, such as income tax and wealth tax, can be fair. Progressive taxation can use people's income and consumption to determine fair taxation.
tax collection
Ideally, tax collection can require no work by citizens. Perhaps, people have accounts with governments. Taxes go into accounts, for government services and social-insurance programs. Government tracks money use, is accountable for investments, and provides high return rates. When people retire, have no job, or have disability, accounts send money to people and track expenses. Perhaps, no person just receives government money. Welfare recipients, for example, can have formal debts to governments. Governments are more accountable and can track policy effects better.
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Description of Outline of Knowledge Database
Date Modified: 2022.0225