The Ethics of Representation Without Taxation
We are told in school that one of the reasons the American Revolution
happened is that colonists faced taxation without representation. This
is just about as bad as it gets. But there is also such a thing as
representation without taxation. How bad is that? What effect does it
have on government and, more particularly, on government ethics?<br>
<br>
This idea originates not with me, but with the woman who filed the
recent ethics complaint against Alaska's Gov. Palin, which I discussed
in a<a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/684" target="”_blank”"> recent blog entry</a>.
I dealt with one piece of this problem in <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/490" target="”_blank”">a blog entry</a> last
year: the fact that Sen. Stevens brought Alaska more federal
money per capita than any other state. I questioned the ethics of using
one's seniority to help one's constituents to funds they don't deserve.<br>
<br>
But when I learned that Alaskans don't pay income taxes, I realized
there's something more going on here. The money their state
representatives are spending is not their constituents' money. They
have obligations with respect to spending the money, but none with
respect to raising it. Effectively, they conspire with their
constituents to take enormous bribes from oil companies and to accept
an undue amount of federal money in return for the gift of not having
to pay for any of it. How can this situation not corrupt government
officials? And how can representatives of people willing to make this
bargain, or being sold on it by their representatives and other community leaders, be responsible on the spending side?<br>
<br>
It would appear that representation without taxation is central to
Alaska's corruption. Yes, many states with taxation are corrupt, as
well. But Alaska is a special case.<br>
<br>
What would happen if Alaskans decided to end representation without
taxation? How could this even be discussed? What representative or
person seeking to become a representative of the Alaskan community
could raise the issue that distinguishes Alaskans from the rest of us?
And if you can't raise an issue so central to a community's identity,
how can you ethically represent it?<br>
<br>
Alaska is hardly alone. Look at Nigeria and Russia, for example.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
---</p>