Taxation and Tyranny

Compulsory taxation came with the king. Kings and taxation are part of the same package. When the people asked for a king, Samuel told them what he would do.

He will take your sons........
He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves .........
He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage ......
the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves (1 Sam 8:11-17).

Kings take. That is there nature. Samuel was not so much disturbed by the size of the payments to the king. A tithe was quite normal. However, he was shocked that the King would take what he wanted. He was disturbed because payments to the king would be compulsory.

During the time of the judges, tithes to the Levites were voluntary. The judges mostly supported themselves. Proverbs 31:10-31 describes a noble wife who worked hard at business, so her husband could be a judge at the gate. Any payment to a judge was always a voluntary payment. Abraham paid for his own army.

Choosing a king marked a transition from giving to taking.

Choosing to have a king brought compulsory taxation. Choosing democracy also brings compulsory taxation. Samuel warned the people.

When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day (1 Sam 8:18).

Monarchy (kings) and democracy are inferior forms of government because they require compulsory taxation. God's ideal government depends on giving, not taking.

Taxation is the basis of Tyranny.