Thursday 25 February 2010

We have a right to retain our income

We own our own bodies, but to what extent do we own access to the space around us? Do we 'own' the right to trade with others? What does it mean to own something?

We cease to own something if to do so interferes with the rights of other people. For example, we do not own the right to sit on top of another person because to do so affects their freedom to move around.

Trading does not interfere with the rights of other people because we do not have a right to sell our goods at a high price. Trading, clearly, is preferable for the two people involved and does not hurt the wider group. If we do something damaging then this is not a right. A right means the freedom to do whatever we like unless it has been shown to cause harm. We presume freedom: Murder would be a right but for the fact that it has been demonstrated to cause harm to others.

A right is a freedom that has not yet been shown to cause (legitimate) harm to others. For example, we have a right to free speech because it has yet to be shown that this causes legitimate harm to others, or the group. It might be said that we have a right to trade without taxation.

The Government has no right to tax our income. Taxation is a violation of civil rights...

Why not let people sell their labour free of tax?

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