Most people don’t hate taxes

[justdimin]

People wants to see the manifestation of their taxes practically, if you're paying tax and your government is working I believe that you wouldn't mind, even if you think that some taxes are rip-off by the government but the government infrastructures on ground will calm you mind. Reverse is the case in many countries where there are hardly any basic amenities yet government is taxing the citizens you naturally wouldn't be happy to pay you taxes, you will only be paying your taxes because of the penalties of defaults.

You will wonder what many underdeveloped countries with mineral resources are doing with tax collected from their hardworking citizens where the economy is not working. No good roads, inadequate security, no steady electricity supply and the rest yet the citizens are paying taxes, it is very unfair.

This is a reasonable request, if you are paying taxes, then you want to see that back. But people do not "see" things that are quite obvious, like the soldier that fights for your country gets paid from your taxes, but you do not consider that, firefighter? your tax, police? your tax, ministry? your tax.

Basically, tax isn't just building roads, getting hospitals, schools, bridges and so forth, it's also the salaries of all the people that work for the government, from president, to janitor of some office. So you do not "see" it all the time, but it's there, every single month.

[Synchronice]

Most people can tolerate taxes because they understand governments need revenue which is understandable.

What really frustrates them is realizing that no matter how hard they work, their salary keeps losing the race against real life. You get a small raise and for one moment it feels like progress… then rent increases, food gets more expensive, transport goes up, and suddenly that raise means almost nothing again.

That’s why many people today are earning more money than they did years ago, yet somehow still feel very financially weaker.

If you come to think of it, I believe the biggest part of it is psychologcal. People can tolerate paying into a system when they believe hard work will eventually create stability but once salaries stop translating into actual progress, frustration quietly starts building.

That’s also why more people are moving beyond traditonal saving and looking for assets they believe can protect value long term because many no longer trust income alone to keep up.

What's your opinion

It depends on the country whether people can tolerate taxes or not. In Germany, we pay almost half of our salary into taxes but people definitely tolerate it because we have a free education, free healthcare, pension insurance, unemployment insurance, long-term care insurance, accident insurance. For many people, this level of stability worth almost half of the salary for many people because people aren't good at planning, the majority of the population lives from paycheck to paycheck, so they prefer this tax rate.

Salaries were not meant to beat the inflation and enrich people. If you want to become rich, you have to run your own business where you set the salary and other rules.

[Nanga Parbat]

Majority among of us willing to pay taxes due to good management. So its happens then' when government used the amount of taxes on the development of roads, good education and health facilities and if government doing these things then people happily paying taxes. So actual problem starts when corruption is occured in public funds so many people get stressed in this situation. But tax is very important because it uses in welfare of the citizen. People should pay taxes because in reward they deserve to take questions on governmental polices. Government should make good plans and shows the people how its Works. So when government gives good opportunities and people easily feels the difference then people willis to pay more and more and legal taxes to pay.

Here I agree with you, People of any country feels not bad for the taxes because they know that it will be used for their own benefits . If the government is fair than taxes always works for the rights of the citizens or it improves the citizens lives. But in the case of many country people feels taxes as a burden instead of feel good. People used different unfair means to get exempt from taxes. From the past few years it has iften felt that it is government hobby to search those items on which taxes have not been yet imposed. Then through different lame excuses they put the burden on the citizens. That's create hate and people feel as if government is enemy. Aim of government is not as a facilitator but they just collecting it for the improvement of their own interest .

[Livingleged]

I can tell you that many people from my country (Nigeria) would prefer non taxing government, this is because it even goes beyond the impact it does to our earnings but you will wonder what the tax are being used for. I just have to believe that the elites in the Government are just using the tax to enrich them self without proper accountability. Our previous government never taxed us like this but yet we saw a lot of infrastructural development.
The most annoying part is the government are taxing and still borrowing even after removal of subsidy. I am very certain if we all are seeing what the taxed money are used for nobody will complain, we all want development and we know government have to taxed us to get the revenues that will do the work but unfortunately it’s better of not taxing us if we aren’t going to see the effect.

[Youngrebel]

I can tell you that many people from my country (Nigeria) would prefer non taxing government, this is because it even goes beyond the impact it does to our earnings but you will wonder what the tax are being used for. I just have to believe that the elites in the Government are just using the tax to enrich them self without proper accountability. Our previous government never taxed us like this but yet we saw a lot of infrastructural development.
The most annoying part is the government are taxing and still borrowing even after removal of subsidy. I am very certain if we all are seeing what the taxed money are used for nobody will complain, we all want development and we know government have to taxed us to get the revenues that will do the work but unfortunately it’s better of not taxing us if we aren’t going to see the effect.

Exactly all your points are real, we pay tax and government is still borrowing truely they are using the tax to enrich themselves I don’t know how many countries are having this kind of economy but it’s too much here in nija. It’s very hard to support high fixed taxes when we lack basic things like good roads, stable light, quality hospitals, security, and even good education we still struggling to have this things. And so many of us do not even mind paying this tax but then we want to see clear evidence that our money is being used for development rather than wasted cause I believe this taxes are ment for the growth and development of the country and not for wastage.

[MRY]

Exactly all your points are real, we pay tax and government is still borrowing truely they are using the tax to enrich themselves I don’t know how many countries are having this kind of economy but it’s too much here in nija. It’s very hard to support high fixed taxes when we lack basic things like good roads, stable light, quality hospitals, security, and even good education we still struggling to have this things. And so many of us do not even mind paying this tax but then we want to see clear evidence that our money is being used for development rather than wasted cause I believe this taxes are ment for the growth and development of the country and not for wastage.

The development of public facilities to the people ought to be funded through taxes. Understandably, when citizens see they are losing the fruits of their labor as a result of the misdeeds of leaders, they tend to get disappointed. I can relate to the plight of not having the basic services in Nigeria. Everybody has the right to have transparency in the way funds are used in order to achieve real development.

[slapper]

I can tell you that many people from my country (Nigeria) would prefer non taxing government, this is because it even goes beyond the impact it does to our earnings but you will wonder what the tax are being used for. I just have to believe that the elites in the Government are just using the tax to enrich them self without proper accountability. Our previous government never taxed us like this but yet we saw a lot of infrastructural development.
The most annoying part is the government are taxing and still borrowing even after removal of subsidy. I am very certain if we all are seeing what the taxed money are used for nobody will complain, we all want development and we know government have to taxed us to get the revenues that will do the work but unfortunately it’s better of not taxing us if we aren’t going to see the effect.

The tax-to-GDP ratio is approximately 10% in Nigeria. That is low. Ghana is up higher, Kenya is up higher, South Africa is up way higher. However, those numbers do not tell the whole story. It is a worse case scenario for a country to get 10% of the waste and lose the majority of it, compared to a country collecting 5% and using it effectively. At least in the second scenario you are not actively destroying public trust. And trust, man, that is everything.

The current administration's approach is the sequencing. You take away the subsidy. Okay, it is a little painful but there is some economic sense. Then you add another tax regime upon this pain, and then another. Then, on top of that, you are still taking out a ton of loans. From there, it becomes hard to follow the messaging. Is the tax imposed for the purpose of raising revenue? So, why are we still borrowing as if nothing has changed? Are we changing for efficiency?

[Coin_info]

Exactly all your points are real, we pay tax and government is still borrowing truely they are using the tax to enrich themselves I don’t know how many countries are having this kind of economy but it’s too much here in nija.

The government actually utilizes the taxes in some countries and in those countries, people do not complain of the taxes. Countries like Denmark where they pay heavy taxes, the citizens enjoy numerous benefits like Free or subsidized healthcare, free education etc. Others like Finland, Norway, Sweden are making proper use of taxes and countries are seeing the benefit.

Most people don't hate taxes, they hate when their taxes are mishandled and they enjoy no benefit.

[PX-Z]

I guess most people don't like taxes ever since the old times, especially those who taxed from everything, both business man and ordinary salary guy, those who taxed 12% and above, then those who live on countries where their government only do bare minimum. You will really feel the same sentiment of those people. And yet, those who have in power, rich businessman who are aligned to some politics can easily evade taxes legally.