Quote: Thomas Paine on Taxation

Posted by Alex in Politics, Quote-a-Day on January 26, 2008 at 4:10 am


"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue."

– Thomas Paine, philosopher (1737 – 1809)


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2 comments to "Quote: Thomas Paine on Taxation"

  1. Steohawk
    January 26th, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    "Tax is theft!"
    - Samuel Edward Konkin III, founder of agorism (1947 - 2004)

    Personally, I like Thomas Paine's quote better. It's more poetic.

  2. ted
    January 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm

    It's not poetic. It's a feature of his rhetorical training.

    The quote really sounds to me like an echo of the Roman historian Tacitus. Paine's quote would remind his readers of Tacitus' writings about how the Roman emperors gradually and sneakily assumed control over the government, and over Roman lives.

    I'll have to look it up.


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