Everyone knows that taxation is necessary in a modern state: without it, it     1    not be possible to pay the soldiers and policemen who protect us;     2    the workers in government offices who     3    our health, our food, our water, and all the other things that we cannot do for ourselves.     4    taxation, we pay for things that we need just     5    we need somewhere to live and something to eat. But     6    everyone knows that taxation is necessary, different people have different ideas about     7    taxation should be arranged.
    In most countries, a direct tax on     8    , which is called income tax,     9    . It is arranged in such     10    that the poorest people pay nothing, and the percentage of tax grows     11    as the taxpayer's income grows. In some countries, for example, the tax on the richest people     12    as high as ninety-five per cent!
        13    countries with taxation nearly     14    have indirect taxation too. Many things imported into the country have to pay taxes or "duties." Of course, it is the men and women who buy these imported things in the shops     15    really have to pay the duties, in the     16    of higher prices. In some countries,     17    , there is a tax on things sold in the shops. If the most necessary things are taxed, a lot of money is     18    but the poor people suffer most. If unnecessary things     19    jewels and fur coats are taxed, less money is obtained but the tax is     20    , as the rich pay it.