Take this perspective. Common goods (defined as things that belong to the citizens of a country or region ) like the lakes, or forests or say the Internet belong to all of us.
If we arrive at a concert and everyone who gets is supposed to use only one chair but because someone decides to reserve many seats (putting them in a stack) and prevents others from using them this person is hoarding a common good here. Now some people will have to stand while many hoard more empty chairs. The hoarder has no right to extra chairs, and if he has it should offer to compensate others and it should be with the consent of those who will have to stand.
Another example: Because someone has more fiat from before for one reason or another, they are using a common good and I can no longer camp there because of this. The owners should pay the others who have no place to camp because they are hoarding a public good.
If a water company pays the government cents on the dollar and then puts the water in bottles, aren't they hoarding a common good?
The problem is that people conflate the common people with government. If you could donate directly to humanity equally in some way, it would be vastly morally superior to collecting taxes. I doubt you would fund schools this way though.
Interesting perspective. My questions is; do you consider fiat currency to be a common good?
I should think about this before answering. It is privately created but both demanded and sanctioned by the state. It is not even a 'public good' in this sense and yet required for taxes. So I would initially say "no".
I would agree with you on that. I am failing to see your point in comparing taxes to a distribution of common goods though. What exactly do you mean?
@shanequick It is related because they will probably call it Universal Basic Income. Sourced from the taxes collected. Or if it is about public and private sector childish propaganda. Both these sectors are sourcing money from the people. Other People's Money. Not their money
I take it you are no fan of the UBI proposal. I'm still unsure how I feel about it.
For me that is an understatement. UBI is a beast.
I am very much interested in why you think so. I havent heard much on the opposition to UBI.