Maastricht Treaty revisions needed?

[kandrathe]

I see economic freedom as much more than that - it is certainly not defined by taxation, although taxes are a part of it. It has to do with all manner of restrictions on what you can and can't do, economically. What you can buy, what tariffs you pay, where you can build, how difficult licensing is, how the right to hire and fire works, and so on.

Some countries are tremendously free, in those senses, while having high taxes. Other countries, like the US, have relatively low taxes, but impose all manner of restrictions on economic activity.

Yeah, we agree on that.

If there was a 100% income tax, and no other obligations, then you would not be slaves - you would be, in practise, forbidden from employment. It would still not mean you could be bought and sold. It would still not mean your children would be owned. It would still not mean you would be denied your freedom of movement.

It would be an absurd situation, but it would not be slavery, at least not in the historical US sense.

If you were mostly unpaid, then you would probably need to be forced to work as well, with consequences for not showing up. So, if they own your time, and the use of your mind and body for whatever they decide they should use it for, then you are pretty much a slave, from my perspective. Maybe that works in Europe, though.