I suggest you take a look at this article[1] which reframes the idea of who “owns”, on first principle, your pre-tax income.

I’m not sure I completely buy into the article’s thesis. But I think it’s extrmely valuable viewpoint to consider on taxation.

And I do think it’s at least “coherent”, so if someone made it the moral framework with which they analyzed taxes they wouldn’t be being intellectually dishonest.

[1] https://www.taxjustice.net/2014/10/08/money-taxation-isnt-th...