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How War Tax Resistance (WTR) is approached in different countries

In the United States:
tax1040Everyone can refuse war taxes, because each salaried person can control how much tax is withheld from his/her salary.  Everyone is required to file a tax return.  The consequences of resistance include letters and demands for payment from the Internal Revenue Service; levies and garnishments; and very rarely, property seizure and/or jail.

In Germany:
An employee cannot choose how much money is withheld from his/her salary.  Germans are required to file annual declarations of tax due. Consequences include seizing money from bank accounts and/or a “sheriff” taking away luxury commodities, such as a radio or a TV.

In Belgium:
The employer pays taxes and social security for the employee. Citizens file an annual return.  Employees could choose to have tax withheld but “no one” does.

In Italy:
The government seizes physical property from tax refusers, but the refuser is allowed to choose what property is seized.

Some politicians and organisations actually encourage people not to pay taxes, for reasons other than WTR. For example, (1) don’t pay taxes because taxes pay for family planning and abortion; or (2) from regional politicians, don’t pay taxes because the tax money is paid to the central government.

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In Norway:
The tax system is like the German tax system.  At the beginning of each tax year, everyone fills out a form about how much he/she expects to earn.  The government and the employer calculate tax due.   Norway peace tax campaigners want to get a box on the form to have taxes didicated to non-military use.

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In the United Kingdom:
There is a “pay as you earn” tax system for employed people which makes it difficult to resist paying taxes. Most people do not file tax returns, but the UK group “Conscience” offers an alternative tax return to object to war taxes. It is not an official Inland Revenue form but can be used to declare your conscientious objection to paying taxes.

Self-employed persons have to declare what taxes they owe.  The Peace Tax Seven have refused war taxes for 8 or 9 years.   The PT7 have been sued from the local magistrate’s court up through the legal system to the European court.

 

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