Chapter 15, "Government Financing in a Free Society", Ayn Rand (1964) Summary and Analysis

In this chapter, Rand theorizes how a government should finance itself in a free society. She deems that imposing mandatory taxation laws goes against the ideal nature of government because it is an initiation of force. Rand believes taxation, the payment to a government in exchange for its services, should always be voluntary in a free society. Because it is in the best interests for individuals to have a government that provides services dependent on the society's survival—the police, the armed forces, and the law courts—individuals would supply the funds for these services. According to her theory, only the abler members of society, the ones financially capable of paying taxes, would contribute to government services, and those unable to...