Taxation

What would be the "proper" leftist take on taxation? Is it entirely possible to be a socialist and also be against taxes, for the most part? I feel like that would really help dispel the whole "commies want to take away my paycheck" nonsense libertarians and conservatives spout.

Attached: leninwtf.jpg (283x178, 10.38K)

Check out the tax systems of best Korea and communist Albania to answer your question

Check out Cockshott's proposed flat tax in TaNS.

I mean, taxation is somewhat pointless under a centrally planned system. Resources are directly allocated towards projects instead. Also given currency is shit I guess we do want to take paychecks.

It depends on the political character of the government and the material conditions of your country.

Some states are entirely dependent on complexes within them that contribute to a very reactionary character. And it's difficult to break with this arrangement, to the point where starving the state can be a valid proletarian strategy. Others states can be used as a bulwark against the bourgeoisie, and even to organize and finance worker's control experiments. Welfare in some countries, particularly where the workers have reached a high degree of class consciousness and labor unions are part of their culture, makes people appreciate the power of non-liberal solutions to social problems. In others, it can make people docile, conformed, and conservative.

You take on taxes, like everything else, needs to fit the circumstances. When it comes to public policy under capitalism, find the best strategy that weakens the bourgeoisie, empowers the proletariat and point people towards radical solutions, and your view on taxation needs to merely reflect that.

Didn't income taxes stop being a thing under Brezhnev given that most industries had already become state owned by that time and was replaced by some kind of weird sales tax?

For pretty much the whole time of the USSR, there were barely any taxes on individual income. Some very small ones like a tax on unmarried people. The actual tax revenue came from the profits of the state owned enterprises, so it was indirect/somewhat mystified income tax.

Cockshott's proposal is to directly represent all taxation as income tax, which is what it always ultimately is, even in capitalism. The taxes would be divvied up along lines of surplus for production expansion, for health and transport services, etc.

Tax is theft that is based upon theft.

this is the correct take, another good argument against a libertarian/ancap who says that taxation is theft is agreeing with them and pointing to north korea or communist albania who abolished taxation all together

if profit is theft, then shouldn't tax money go towards workers, personally, rather than the state? 🤔🤔

Attached: 73c47ec728296289340334eb0189bf2e97daa1211484d5bbf3cebaec72fffcaa.jpg (1200x675, 73.03K)