I disagree with the statement that individuals

should not pay taxes to the state. The

government runs the country from the taxes it
collects. Taxes are collected only from those
who earn above a certain minimum limit. lt is
our moral duty to pay taxes. Tax money
collected by government is used to fund basic
amenities, provide various services to citizens
and for government administration and
projects, running of jails and defense system,
and many other operations. lt is not wrong to
say that "taxes run a country." Thus, it is very
important for a government to make people
pay taxes. Let us analyze why people do not
want to pay taxes. The main reason is their
dissatisfaction with government in serving
them. They blame government for things like
lack of infrastructure, poverty and
unemployment, but they are not completely
wrong as tax revenue is misused in some or the
other way in every country. ln developed
countries, however, because of higher
satisfaction from government's functioning,
citizens may be more willing to pay taxes.
Another factor generating dissatisfaction is the
tax structure itself. Often the tax system is
complex and it drives people away from paying
taxes. lt is also felt that the tax rates are high
and tax slabs are unequal. So they feel it is not
unethical if one goes for tax avoidance or tax
evasion. Not paying taxes can drastically affect
a country's revenue generation, my own
country, lndia, for that matter. But then, it is
equally desired that government come up with
a fair tax structure and also make people aware
where the taxes are being diverted. Even
lowering the tax rates can help a country
increase its tax collection as it would increase
compliance among the taxpayers. Tax reform
should also be fast so that no public grievance
or non-compliance remains for long. A proper
tax system backed up with strict tax laws can
produce the best results. Summing up, I
reiterate my opinion by saying that it is the
duty of every citizen to pay tax and the duty of
every government to use it appropriately in
public interest.