Can You Define "Government"?

Most people consider taxes to be not only justified, but necessary*. My question is this: Are you comfortable with the idea of taxes, yet uncomfortable with someone who mugs you on the street and takes your wallet? Before you scoff at such a comparison, consider the following scenario:

There are 7 people on a deserted island. A meeting is called, and 5 of them decide 20% of everyone's yearly farming output must be put into a collective pot where it will be given to whoever needs it that year. What should be done?

1. The property of the other 2 can be taken from them by force; or

2. The vote can be annulled, as not all were in favor.

Most would agree that in the above scenario, the property of the '2' should not be taken by force - that would be stealing. But what if there are 100 people, and 51 vote to "tax" everyone 20%? What about 1,000,000 people with a 51% vote? At what point is taking property by force OK? At what point do we cease to call it stealing and replace it with the word, "tax"?

IT IS ALWAYS STEALING. I have heard people say that when the 'government' does it, it is no longer stealing. But as I have explained, a 'government' is merely the group of people who are able to enforce their laws over everyone else. Another way of saying this is to define government as "The Group of People with a Monopoly on the Legal Use of Violence".

So, this group of people has now gained the power to take any amount of money from anyone within borders they have set, AND YOU'RE OK WITH THAT?

*This is based mainly on utilitarianism, or on misguided interpretations of Bible passages (Mt 22, Rom 13). The theological arguments have been dealt with here, here, here, here, here, here, and in many other places.