Politicians love to promise "fairer" and "simpler" tax reform, but the reality is that every tax system is built on force and distortion. In this talk, Lew Rockwell dismantles the myth that taxation can ever be neutral, efficient, or morally justified. Whether it’s a flat tax, consumption tax, or a restructured income tax, every scheme still funnels trillions into the hands of bureaucrats while crushing productivity and personal freedom. Instead of searching for a "better" way to take your money, Rockwell asks the real question: Why should the government take it at all?

Recorded on 15 January 2005 at The Trouble with Taxation Conference, Charlottesville, Virginia.