By its nature, governments and taxes are not voluntary. Government actions are violent and coercive, and theft as well.

In this quote, Jeff Berwick argues that governments and taxes are inherently coercive and non-voluntary. He suggests that unlike voluntary exchanges in a free market, government actions are imposed upon individuals by force, meaning that people are compelled to comply with governmental rules and tax demands. Berwick’s view is rooted in a libertarian perspective, where he criticizes the idea that taxation is a form of legitimate cooperation or agreement, instead calling it a form of theft.

Berwick also frames government actions as inherently violent, implying that the state maintains its authority through the threat of force or the use of laws backed by punishment. According to this view, the state’s power to enforce its will through the legal system and police constitutes an ongoing form of violence against individual liberty, making government action fundamentally incompatible with freedom. He equates the act of taxation with theft, as people are forced to give up part of their income, whether or not they agree with how it is used.

The origin of this quote reflects Berwick’s anarcho-capitalist and libertarian beliefs, which argue for minimal or no government involvement in the lives of individuals. He is a vocal critic of traditional political structures, advocating instead for a society where private property, voluntary exchanges, and personal freedom are paramount. His stance on taxation and government’s use of force challenges the commonly accepted notion that taxes are a fair contribution to society's needs.

Ultimately, Berwick’s quote underscores his belief in individual sovereignty and a deep distrust of government authority. For him, the state’s role in society is inherently oppressive, and its methods of funding itself through taxation are illegitimate because they are coercive and involuntary, amounting to an act of theft. This reflects the broader libertarian critique of government and its economic and social impact.