The Social Economist Examines Man′s Aversion to Taxes

Abstract

The beliefs that Government interferes with individual freedom and that private and public goods are competitive appear to be the two major reasons for man′s aversion to paying taxes. In reality, however, especially from a socio‐economic viewpoint, government also increases individual freedom, and the acceptance of necessity is as much an ingredient of good life as the attainment of freedom. Furthermore, private goods and public goods are as complementary as they are competitive. Thus, compared with the main‐ stream neoclassical economist, the social economist has a more complete understanding of the actual human condition and, in so doing, he can provide better solutions to the problem of man′s hostility to paying taxes.