Why taxes are awesome

With rumours circulating, often planted by right-wing media, suggesting that everyone's taxes are going up and that Labour had lied in their campaigning, there's a notion that we’re heading back to the 1970s in some vague way. In light of this, I thought it best to hop on my soapbox and share my thoughts on the matter: taxes are awesome. Yes, I said it.

As we approach the budget announcement where the chancellor will set various tax levels, there’s another frustrating semantic debate about what “working people” actually means. We shouldn’t be arguing over whose class qualifies as working people just to rejoice in not having our taxes raised. Instead, we should be using clear examples on a giant whiteboards to explain why paying taxes is great.

Every time you pay your tax bill, you're not just funding government services; you're investing in future entrepreneurs, schools, hospitals, and the next generation of innovative thinkers. If we want a society where people can be happy, successful, safe, and supported, we need to recognise that, until we overthrow capitalism, we're going to have to pay for it.

This is perhaps the simplest way we can contribute to building the kind of society we want to see. And I really believe we should start rethinking how we view our role in society.

In this episode, I share three reasons why taxes are, in fact, awesome, and why we should want to pay them.

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Transcript

Peta: 1:17

I'm recording this on Tuesday, the 29th of October. But by the time you get to my dulcet tunes in your ears. Rachel Louise would have stood up as the first female chancellor in British history and delivered the first labor budget of this parliament. Let's just take a pause to realize the enormity of that moment. Showy it's 2024. And it's the first time that we've had a female chancellor. You know, a woman in charge of the money. So, whatever you think of her politics. It's kind of a big deal. Hundreds of thousands of words have been written unspoken about all of this. And I can't exactly give you an up to the minute analysis because where I am sitting at my loft desk, it hasn't been released yet. So I don't even know what's what it's going to say. And if you listen to the soap box, then you're probably also subscribed to at least, I don't know, five other politics and news podcasts. Uh, like the news agents or America first newscast, the troll electoral dysfunction, which is a hell of a podcast name. The rest is politics. All excellent choices by the way. Uh, and you can get upstate news and analysis from them. From much more qualified people with much better podcast production. So why am I bothering? Because I have a particular perspective that I want to share with you. It's something I've constantly moaned about for years now. And it clicked this weekend, but now I have a podcast. And I don't have to mean to my long suffering husband or bored looking people at barbecues anymore. I have you. Aren't you glad. I don't know, background for those of you not immersed in UK politics. Don't worry. This episode is just as relevant for you too. The UK labor party campaign on a promise not to raise taxes for working people. Because people don't vote for tax rises more on that later. They won a substantial landslide. One. That's when the Ethan and I weeped about when the exit polls came in at 10:00 PM on, July, the fourth. And then they announced that the previous government led by the conservative party had left the country's finances in such a state, that things were not at all rosy and would in fact get worse before they get better. That was back in July and we've been waiting for a budget since then. With rumours circulating slash being planted by the right wing media. That everyone's taxes were in fact going to go up. That labor had lied. And that we were heading back to the 1970s in some vague way. So. As we stare down the barrel of the budgets, where the chance to is going to set levels of various different taxes. There's another annoying semantic argument going on about what working people actually means. Our business owners, working people. Are you only a working person. If you get to pace it from your employer. Are billionaires and millionaires working people. Because people don't vote for tanks rises. And most people like to think that they're one of those wholesome working people that pack up their lunch box and head off to a construction site in their check shirt. Or something. And I'm going to be honest. I am bored of this argument. Because it's the wrong one. We shouldn't be arguing over whose class does working people. So that they can rejoice in not having their taxes raised. We should be explaining with big, clear examples on a giant whiteboard. Why paying taxes is great. No, I have not gone insane. We sh people have stopped making the case for taxes. And it's been annoying me for a really, really long time. in the UK and the U S at least taxes are seen as bad. Full-stop. Giving the government money that I've earned all by myself. With either my mental or my physical labor. Developed with my own effort and talent. And scale. Why would I do that? It's my money. I earned it. Me. I got up and went to work. And. Empty bins or cleaned carpets or served ungrateful people coffee in the morning and got their names wrong on cups. I went to the office and sat through really boring meetings. I had brilliant ideas that made my boss. lots more money and, got me a promotion. I built my business. by myself. With my great ideas with my hard work, with my ingenuity and with my long days. and hours that have given me bad posture. I should be able to enjoy the fruits of my own labor without having to fund every Tom Dick and Harry, you want a free ride? And yes, I am now channeling a 75 rod man, propping up the bar in a social club. Why should other people who didn't work as hard as I did benefit from my hard work. I did this all by myself. Why should I have to pay taxes? It just so happens. Then I've got three reasons. Firstly, because you didn't do it all by yourself. Let's stick with the system in the UK, because, well, because I live here. you were born in an NHS hospital, built staffed unfunded by other people's taxes. You were driven home on safe roads that were built and maintained by other people's taxes. You went to a school that was, you guessed it. It's built stuffed and funded, but other people's taxes. And you ate food that was grown by other people. You weren't home late at night. With your path lit by streetlights. And didn't worry about being attacked by marauding vigilantes. Because of other people's taxes, funding, your local council and police force. You set up your business because of the education you received for free. Mostly, which is another conversation. You grew your business with employees who are educated and kept healthy. By other people's taxes. You get your water from taps and systems that are kept clean. And yes, now they're privatized. But there's a whole lot of local infrastructure that goes into that. And you rely on all of that too. Well live. And then when your business got undercut by a multinational outsourcing your services to the Philippines for a fraction of the cost. And you had to make your employees redundant. They didn't lose their homes because they were caught by the safety net. Paid by other people's taxes. We're not individuals. Wandering around in our silos. Not being affected by, uh, not affecting anyone else. No one. Yes. Not even you. Not even Elon Musk, not even Jeff Bezos. No one has built their success purely by themselves. It's all been built within a safe unsecure society. Funded by other people's taxes. And yes. Hello, this is 2024 realist. Peta popping her head in and saying, I know that it doesn't work out how it should right now. And I know the safety net is too small and the police and the health service and the schools are underfunded and that you've blown eight tires on potholes this month alone. But that's partly my point. Because no one has made the case for how connected we are in so long. We think that our success is all down to us. Margaret Thatcher's famous. There's no such thing as society. Because we think it's all down to us. Of course, we should be the ones to benefit. And it's unfair to take some of that money and give it to other people. Who. You know, could just have worked harder. And so people don't vote for tax rises. And so the government doesn't have enough money to fund public services. And so public services don't function properly. And so all, but an insulated few who can run off to Monaco. Suffer. On the vulnerable well, They suffer most of all. So that's my first reason. You didn't do this all by yourself. And then there's rules. Okay. So. My first degree was in politics and sociology. Yes, I am a geek. And I learned lots about various thinkers and their ideas. They were mostly male back then. Let's be honest. Some were interesting. Some were frustrating. You should check out Wilson's broken window theory. If you want to get very mad. And some caught me and have never really left. You know, like those recurring dreams that you have. Roles is valid ignorance was the latter. No. Don't get me wrong. It has its flaws. But this thought experiment popped into my head and into my conversations on a frankly boringly regular basis. The basic idea is this. Imagine you have to design the rules on the structure of a society. From scratch. But you don't know who you're going to be in that society. You don't know if you'll be rich or poor. Male or female. Or nonbinary. Highly educated or not healthy or sick. Which community you'll be part of. What natural talents you'll have. What talents will be revered in that society. You're choosing. From behind a veil of ignorance about your personal circumstances. Now John rules argues that from this position, rational people. Can we do some more of that. Would choose a society with two key principles, one. Equal basic liberties for everyone. Freedom of speech, religion, all those good things. Two. Any social and economic inequalities would need to benefit the least advantaged members of society. And be tied to positions that are open to everyone. Under fair conditions. So the logic of this is that since you don't know where you'll end up. You'd want to ensure that even the worst off position in this society. Would be acceptable. would, would have dignity would be. A good place to be. Because that might be you. You wouldn't risk creating an unfair system that could severely disadvantaged you. For example. From behind that veil of ignorance, you probably wouldn't create a society that allows slavery because you might end up being a slave. You're more likely to support something like universal health care, because you might end up being sick and poor. You'd want that to be a decent safety net. Because it could be you who gets made redundant with three kids and a mortgage to pay. You'd want them to be properly funded hospitals. In case you were diagnosed with cancer at 32, I needed quick access to treatment. So you could live to see your son grow up. You couldn't be a hundred percent sure that you would be top dog. Wouldn't you want to make sure that even the runt of the litter was looked after. I think that's what happens when we realize. That we alone are not responsible for our current position in society. When we grasp the idea of interconnectedness. We start to think about the public services that we'd want. The dignity that we'd want to keep. How we'd feel in that situation and how we'd want to be treated. To build that kind of society. That kind of system. The government needs money. Uh, money that comes from Texas. And the third reason. Third reason that I think that taxes are awesome and that they are a good thing and that we should want to pay them. Well, the third reason is me. Okay. Not me really. Bear with me. I remember very clearly when I paid my first ever self-employed tax bill. And I'm not going to lie. It was a bung clenching moment. Handing over that much of my heart and cash in one go, it's hard not to feel a little resentful. Especially as I did it while watching the government squandered taxpayers' money on faulty, PPE and squashing public protest, but that was a whole other story. You want how much. But after I'd gotten over the anxiety and seeing that large chunk of money, leave my bank account. I honestly felt happy and a little emotional. No, I'm not some altruistic Hasher did hermit. He wants to live in a cave and give everyone else my money. I like money. I like good champagne. And so blouses and spar days. Even if having children means most of those things are currently over rarity. It's not that. I grew up really poor. Social security food parcels from the local church, hommie down. Doesn't quite fit, but it'll have two school uniform. Vouchers for dried milk at the local shop council house. Poor. Other people's taxes fed me through my childhood. And no, I'm not exaggerating. They ignited my passion for learning at school. They kept me warm and safe in the library. When I couldn't afford the books that I would. Go through it. Ridiculous nuts. They looked after me when I fell, I needed stitches. They kept me and my family housed. And further afield, they built the roads. I traveled to school on. They funded the courts that kept me safe. The emergency services that would help if you reached out the hospitals that heal my sister often early bout of pneumonia. Taxes are how a society makes sure that you have equal access to the services and opportunities you need. Whatever your bank balance. And if you suffer unexpected hardship, then there's a safety net to help you back up. Well, That's the idea anyway. Sure. It's not a perfect system. But when it works, it means people like me. Who grew up hiding school trip letters in my bag. So my parents didn't feel guilty. Can build a business that takes them all over the world. And means that I can buy Pringles and rainbow ice lollies when my kids want them. My success is possible because of a society that recognize the need for the redistribution of wealth. Rather than this, they should have worked harder mentality. That leaves us all poorer. That's why being able to pay my taxes made me happy. Being able to contribute to that infrastructure. The one that allowed me to flourish made me proud. But yes. Tuxes may go up in the budget. Mine probably will in some shape or form. As business owners, we might feel that pinch. But here's what I want you to remember. Every time you pay your tax bill. You're not just funding government services. You're investing in future entrepreneurs. Just like, mean you. You're funding the schools where the next generation of innovative thinkers will learn to read. And the universities and colleges and hospitals, where. The surgeons who might save your life one day, we'll train. You're maintaining the roads that your future employees will use to get to work. You're supporting the health care system that keep your team happy and productive. If we want a society where people can be happy. Be successful. Be safe, unsupported. Then until we overthrow capitalism, we're going to have to pay for it. This is perhaps the simplest way that we can contribute to building the kind of society we want to see. Not through occasional charitable giving or corporate social responsibility initiatives. But through our willing participation in funding, the basic infrastructure of opportunity. And if you're trying to work out how much your tax bill's going to grow into the budget and gritting your teeth. Then, little me says, thank you.