21 May 2026

Taxes are not inherently coercive



 As a psychologist I take coercion to be a state of mind, not a state of the world. The most common example of coercion is the proverbial “gun to the head.” There are plenty of circumstances in which a gun barrel touching your head can exist in the world without the co-occurence of the psychological state of coercion. The gun could be known to be a harmless toy, the gun could be assumed to be empty, the gun could be a prop in a drama, the wielder of the gun could be a trusted companion, etc. Nothing in the world can be universally associated with the presence of coercion, even if it might be regarded as a common or expected response, which is why “gun to the head” is the trope for illustrating coercion. 

So, if you regard taxes as “inherently” coercive you are taking a political position that ignores the collective responsibility we all have for the proper functioning of government. Those who cultivate this attitude in themselves or others are being irresponsible. They are shirking their duty.

It is a childish position. 

Don’t be childish.

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