[anoncake]

That's an artificial distinction. There is no sharp line between "punitive taxes" and just taxes.

[altusbrown]

No sharp line, but hardly artificial.

If someone gives you a cake, and I take the whole cake it's clearly confiscation no? You got no cake at the end.

If someone gives you a cake and I take a slice (say 25%), then it is clearly not confiscation, since you got cake correct? Not only that, you got most of it.

[anoncake]

Depending on who you are and why you took my cake, it could be a tax, confiscation, theft, a fine...