Taxes not a working-class issue (1974)

From the June 1974 issue of the Socialist Standard

The 70th anniversary issue of the Socialist Standard carried throughout its pages a series of snippets from old Socialist Standard articles highlighting the SPGB's unique position on issues of the day. Where possible, I've provided a link to the full article.

Rates and taxes are imposed to cover the cost of local and national government. The employing class — the possessors of property — in order to maintain their existence as a ruling class, must pay the various charges incurred by employing an army, navy, and police force. The ever-growing body of officials they appoint the numerous departments they have to run to make smooth the working of capitalist commerce ; the interest on their “National” Debt heaped up by the cost of past wars : all these have to be paid, and the problem ever facing our masters is—which section of the propertied class is to provide the money ?

[From “Rates and Taxes — Do they fall upon the working class?” Socialist Standard, March 1912]