I'd say what makes taxation other than theft would be the social contract by which citizens contribute to the country for the government to better protect it's citizens rights but seeing as this is about the US and SCOTUS just overturned Roe vs Wade and neutered the EPA I totally see the point of this meme.
That's pretty amazing coming from someone who doesn't use the national power grid, public streets, civil potable water or sanitary sewer OR the very INTERNET .. which were all paid for by taxes. Does your hand hewn wooden tablets arrive by messenger bird? Know where doesn't pay taxes? Antarctica, the moon, and Mars.
Karlboll and inspectora basically are my answer in two parts. What makes taxes not theft…
CONSENT! When you go to a hotel and there is a little fridge full of snacks or certain movie channels, you’re going to often be billed when you take them. In America we is usually get water and bread for free at many restaurants, but some here and many eke here put the stuff out without a price on it, and if you consume it… you pay. If you conduct commerce in most places- including the US, you generally owe taxes. It’s not a surprise bill, they store all the taxes in books you can read before you conduct commerce if you want to know the cost. When you take benefits from the tax funded government, use roads, call the police etc. you are consenting to pay taxes. Even if you don’t do any of those things- the land and ability for commerce provided exists because of stability and arrangements made by the government. Diplomats, armed services, a stability and prosperity paid for by tax dollars...
… when you have dealings with people educated by the public school system you are benefiting from tax dollars. When you aren’t killed by a random driver because licensing and other government provided services kept a dangerous person or vehicle off the road thusly allowing you to not worry about dying, or when your home doesn’t blow up because your neighbor was making explosives or you don’t get a disease from backed up sewage or pests like mosquitos that tax money pays to abate risks from, you are taking from the “mini bar” of government and you owe a bill.
Let’s close shop by imagining a world without taxes. Everything is privately funded. If you call the cops you pay for that visit, they bill you, and if you can’t pay, they don’t come. The Government owns no land and isn’t responsible for any land. So the entire country is owned by private parties and companies. “Amazon” and “Google” are going to charge you a subscription fee to be on their land and use the benefits they provide customers no? And private owners can just decide you can’t exist on their land. Hell- if you have the force you can just take their land. In fact- all this prime real estate with no army? Hope you and your pals are part of a very good militia because SOME other government or groups or corporation is going to come and claim your city, your state, etc. who will stop them? You? And when your privately owned city becomes part of some other country, IF they let you still live there- they’re probably going to charge you money no? So you don’t have to pay taxes at all.
You just have to get off the land that is owned by whoever it is that is asking you to pay, or I guess overpower them and claim the land as your own country, where you can have no taxes, and see how great that country is to live in or how long it lasts because even the worlds richest people would have trouble financing an entire country out of pocket.
CONSENT! When you go to a hotel and there is a little fridge full of snacks or certain movie channels, you’re going to often be billed when you take them. In America we is usually get water and bread for free at many restaurants, but some here and many eke here put the stuff out without a price on it, and if you consume it… you pay. If you conduct commerce in most places- including the US, you generally owe taxes. It’s not a surprise bill, they store all the taxes in books you can read before you conduct commerce if you want to know the cost. When you take benefits from the tax funded government, use roads, call the police etc. you are consenting to pay taxes. Even if you don’t do any of those things- the land and ability for commerce provided exists because of stability and arrangements made by the government. Diplomats, armed services, a stability and prosperity paid for by tax dollars...