Back in the day, pre-government and before cities, humans lived in small communities of 150 or so people. Everyone knew everyone. Everyone had a role. You all mucked in.
If there was a fire in your house, the villagers would form a human bucket chain to the pond and back, dousing the flames.
If one of the villagers was a thief, the community would sort it by sending one of the burly elders to his house, late at night. Problem solved.
If there was a famine, you’d eke out your food stores, sharing them with your neighbours.
Nowadays we’re civilized. Kind of. We have organised society to take care of the problems. We’ve abdicated responsibility so, if your house is on fire, I’m not expected to be part of the bucket gang, I’ll simply dial 999 and capture the whole inferno on my iPhone.
If I’m ill, I’ll call up 999 and the heroes at the NHS fly in and save the day (and they don’t even wear capes).
If you’re short of food, I’ll let the welfare state top up your income or delegate Marcus Rashford to make your school lunches.
I’m being facetious.
I love paying taxes. Yes, really! The welfare state is about collective health and wellbeing. ‘Taxes’ are misnamed. They’re ‘investments’. I am not paying tax, I am investing in my community. I am purchasing a quality of life that’s inextricably related to the people around me.
So I’ve trained myself to LOVE paying tax. I can’t feed you, or make your neighbourhood safe, or cure you of cancer, or save you from fire, but I am able to contribute to a society that can.