[geeks] education systems around the world

[der Mouse]

>>> [taxation as "slavery"]
>> To the extent that this is true, the "slavery" is extremely partial
>> and limited, to the point that - largely because of the emotional
>> overtones and history of the word - I think it's fair to call it an
>> outright wrong description.
> Do you have a better one?

Yes, I believe I do.  "Taxation", to be specific.

Even you say that taxation is a "very specific case of a very limited
form" of slavery.  I cannot see any construction to put on this except
that you agree that "slavery", unqualified, is a substantial
exaggeration.  Given this, and the existence of a specific and accurate
word (with which you are clearly familiar) for it, the only reason I
can see for your apparent resistance to the use of that word is that it
does not, for most listeners, carry some meaning you want, and the most
plausible such is the extreme negative emotional force attached to
"slavery".  (Indeed, the specific word quite probably exists _because_
no other word is accurate.)

> The government asserts that you do not own the fruits of your own
> labor until you have paid them whatever amount they feel they are
> due, first.

Right.  That's the way taxation works.

Given your level of opposition to it, I don't see why you haven't "left
the plantation".

> Slavery, at some abstract level, is really nothing more than a
> continuous state of being a victim of armed robbery, except that it
> is the labor directly which is stolen, rather than the product
> thereof.

Not quite.  A slave lacks freedom of choice of labour, true - but also
a great deal of other freedom as well.

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