“There is no such thing as a good tax.”
– Winston Churchill
Stripped of context, this quote could be seen as quite black and white – entirely true for a certain kind of person with a certain set of values, and utterly meaningless for another.
Churchill himself was also conflicted on this point at various points of his life, sometimes inspiring his citizens with mantras like “The price of greatness is responsibility” and praising the Kerosene tax (“It was a very good tax.”), but then at other times, denouncing the cultural policy saying, “I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”
Our own views, much like Churchill’s, change as we navigate a life of finance and policy, such factors which determine our values. It’s important to never see the world so starkly, because you never know when you may be in a position of power and responsibility. If there’s one thing to be certain of, it’s to make sure we pay our taxes properly, because you never know when the auditors might be coming around the bend.
