TAX EVASION IS A CRIME OR LEGITIMATE SELF-DEFENSE
This is a controversial issue and depends on the perspective adopted. From a legal point of view, tax evasion is a crime in almost all countries, regardless of the level of government corruption. In Brazil, for example, tax evasion is classified as a crime against the tax order (Law 8.137/90).
On the other hand, there are philosophical and moral arguments that defend that, in an extremely corrupt system, where taxes are widely diverted for the illicit enrichment of politicians and bureaucrats, avoiding paying taxes can be seen as a form of resistance or "economic legitimate self-defense". This view is based on the idea that the state loses its legitimacy when it fails to fulfill its function of promoting the common good and respecting individual rights.
This is a controversial issue and depends on the perspective adopted. From a legal point of view, tax evasion is a crime in almost all countries, regardless of the level of government corruption. In Brazil, for example, tax evasion is classified as a crime against the tax order (Law 8.137/90).
On the other hand, there are philosophical and moral arguments that defend that, in an extremely corrupt system, where taxes are widely diverted for the illicit enrichment of politicians and bureaucrats, avoiding paying taxes can be seen as a form of resistance or "economic legitimate self-defense". This view is based on the idea that the state loses its legitimacy when it fails to fulfill its function of promoting the common good and respecting individual rights.
