Without taxation governments and civilization would cease to exist.https: Taxation began even before there was money, because the vast irrigation systems in the world's first civilizations needed large pools of conscripted labor. Maintaining the irrigation canals was heavy and laborious work, and someone had to feed the slaves. Those someones were the farmers who benefited from the irrigation systems, and their taxes were in the form of food and agricultural products. In order to protect the crops, soldiers also had to be fed and housed, as well as equipped with weapons and horses.
Taxes can be externalize in the form of import duties, but these are insufficient to keep a standing army or fund the many services modern governments provide.
There are anarchist communities in the world where there is no taxation at all. But everyone there knows that if he or she falls ill, she's on her own and can't expect ambulances or modern medical treatment. Slab City is one of these.
