WSN sorted : Taxpayers

I have been thinking about the cliché "its coming out of the taxpayers
pocket" and other related clichés: My view is that this kind of sentiment is
a cliché that has a definite ideological content that totally misrepresents
the situation.

The point is that tax is state money it is not "taxpayers money" at all.
The taxpayer is an ideological construct around which is constructed a
systemic misconception of the nature of both economic and civil society (the
latter terms is used with reluctance).

The state collects revenue in the form of taxation. This revenue is public
money and constitutes in general a deduction from the surplus value of the
bourgeoisie. Despite appearances it does not constitute a deduction from
wages. Real wages is, in the context of taxation, the wages after tax
deductions. Workers' struggles around the level of wages are a struggle
concerning real wages --wages after tax.

Consequently when the state reduces income tax it is essentially reducing
the amount of surplus value it collects in the form of revenue from the
bourgeoisie. A reduction in income tax or indeed any other tax by the state
expresses itself as a corresponding increase of surplus value accruing to
the capitalist for purposes of capital accumulation etc.

All this rhetoric about taxpayers money and the taxpayer being concerned how
the state spends its money misleadingly creates the impression that the
working class is this powerful taxpayer and that this class is much more
empowered under capitalism than it actually is. It also mischaracterize the
relationship between workers and the state suggesting that the state in some
way is the representative of the workers and their wages in the form of tax.

As you may see a significant bourgeois ideology underpins the concept --the
taxpayer. It is an ideology that misrepresents the status of the worker and
the character of the relationship between the worker and the state together
with the entire meaning of citizenry. Incidentally taxpayer ideology is one
that, as far as I can gather, is hardly examined at all by the radical left
particularly in the way that I just have.

Hi Folks

I have been thinking about the cliché "its coming out = of the=20 taxpayers pocket" and other related clichés: My view is that = this=20 kind of sentiment is a cliché that has a definite ideological = content=20 that totally misrepresents the situation.

The point is that tax is state money it is not = "taxpayers=20 money" at all. The taxpayer is an ideological construct around = which is=20 constructed a systemic misconception of the nature of both economic and = civil=20 society (the latter terms is used with reluctance).

The state collects revenue in the form of taxation. This revenue is = public=20 money and constitutes in general a deduction from the surplus value of = the=20 bourgeoisie. Despite appearances it does not constitute a deduction from = wages.=20 Real wages is, in the context of taxation, the wages after tax = deductions.=20 Workers' struggles around the level of wages are a struggle concerning = real=20 wages --wages after tax.

Consequently when the state reduces income tax it is essentially = reducing=20 the amount of surplus value it collects in the form of revenue from the=20 bourgeoisie. A reduction in income tax or indeed any other tax by the = state=20 expresses itself as a corresponding increase of surplus value accruing = to the=20 capitalist for purposes of capital accumulation etc.

All this rhetoric about taxpayers money and the taxpayer being = concerned=20 how the state spends its money misleadingly creates the impression = that=20 the working class is this powerful taxpayer and that this class is much = more=20 empowered under capitalism than it actually is. It also mischaracterize = the=20 relationship between workers and the state suggesting that the state in = some way=20 is the representative of the workers and their wages in the form of = tax.

As you may see a significant bourgeois ideology underpins the = concept=20 --the taxpayer. It is an ideology that misrepresents the status of = the=20 worker and the character of the relationship between the worker and the = state=20 together with the entire meaning of citizenry. Incidentally taxpayer = ideology is=20 one that, as far as I can gather, is hardly examined at all by the = radical left=20 particularly in the way that I just have.

Warm regards

Rebecca