[djrobstep]

> You can survive without working, although your existence will likely be miserable.

That entirely depends on your socio-economic class. I know a lot of rich kids that do no work but live very easy, pleasant lives.

> They have a choice, but the choice is unpleasant. That is not the same as no choice.

A mugger tells me to hand over my watch or get shot. Choice or not choice?

[chordalkeyboard]

> A mugger tells me to hand over my watch or get shot. Choice or not choice?

Choice, of course.

[djrobstep]

So taxation is voluntary? You'll upset a lot of libertarians with that attitude!

[chordalkeyboard]

Libertarians use "voluntary" to refer to a situation absent coercion. Taxation is prima facie coercive so we would just debate semantics if I went that route.

[djrobstep]

You just said that "hand over your watch or get shot" is choice. So then is "hand over your tax or go to prison", yes?

[chordalkeyboard]

I said that libertarians use "voluntary" to refer to a situation that doesn't involve coercion. I did not say that a coerced individual had no choice in the matter. Why would anyone bother to coerce someone who had no choices?

[djrobstep]

Coercion implies lack of free choice. That's what it is.

A mugging is coercive precisely because the alternative choice (getting shot) is not meaningful.