The original draft was written on July 22, 2022. It has been polished by using GPT-4 this year.
This year's American Independence Day holiday prompted me to reflect on the meaning of independence and consider if there are any quantitative measures to assess it. After pondering the topic intermittently for several days, I'm finally taking the time to jot down some of my thoughts. Examining potential indicators of independence proves valuable, as it allows us to evaluate the level of independence for ourselves and those around us. Furthermore, we can analyze and enhance our independence through various methods. Like many issues globally, the independence of a country's people is not a binary (0 vs. 1) matter but rather a multi-dimensional continuum. All nations can make ongoing improvements across various dimensions.
Historically, one of the main factors that drove American colonists to pursue independence was the British government's practice of imposing taxes on the North American colonies through various means, while denying the colonists representation in the legislative process (such as decisions on tax collection and spending). In protest, the colonists took up arms and demanded "No taxation without representation," asserting that they would not pay taxes unless granted a role in decision-making. Braving significant risks, the founding fathers and fellow patriots waged the American Revolutionary War, a conflict that spanned eight years (1775-1783). Upon securing victory, they established a new federal government, empowering themselves to make autonomous decisions regarding tax collection and expenditure.
In this historical context, money plays a central role. The quest for independence was largely driven by financial concerns. Consequently, it seems fitting to assess independence through a monetary lens. While using mere monetary metrics to gauge independence might appear to trivialize its significance, adopting tangible indicators can offer a more realistic assessment and reveal valuable insights. Thus, a straightforward quantitative measure of a country's people's independence can be formulated as:
Independence Level = Degree of Control Over Their Own Earnings
When an individual possesses complete control over their earnings—dictating how and where they spend it, and having the freedom to switch service providers (private, public, or government) whenever dissatisfied—they can be considered 100% independent in the financial realm. Earnings encompass income, savings, investments, properties, and more. Property rights appear to be fundamental to human rights, surpassed only by the right to life.
Conversely, if a person is compelled to relinquish all their earnings to the government or others, who may then spend the money without consent or force the individual to utilize inefficient, costly service providers, that person has 0% independence and is, in effect, enslaved.
In practice, individuals' independence levels, as determined by their control over their finances, fall anywhere between 0% and 100%. One could say that they all experience varying degrees of autonomy. Americans have enjoyed independence for over two centuries, complete with their own federal, state, county, city, school district, and homeowners' associations, all of which can impose taxes. Based on my personal observations, Americans are increasingly paying taxes at all levels while simultaneously losing control over their tax dollars. Consequently, they are gradually relinquishing the independence their forebears bravely fought for and attained.
There are many examples of taxpayers losing oversight over how their tax dollars are spent, spanning from the federal government to local school districts. However, to avoid directly accusing or offending any specific individuals, groups, or entities, I will not cite particular names or examples.
From a game theory standpoint, decreasing tax obligations and enhancing citizens' influence over and the effectiveness of tax expenditures contribute to the fundamental infrastructure and upkeep of the public environment. Uncoordinated citizens may find themselves at a disadvantage when interacting with different levels of government entities. For individuals, focusing on personal tasks, such as lawn maintenance and earning additional income, can have a more immediate impact on their financial well-being. Devoting time to tax reduction efforts and overseeing government spending may yield less noticeable benefits for individuals, particularly when everyone else is subject to the same tax rates.
Nonetheless, as technology advances, individuals can unite to reclaim leverage in negotiating their interests. For instance, artificial intelligence technology can be employed to scrutinize tax expenditures and assess efficiency. This area warrants increased academic focus. Numerous computer experts excel at optimizing computer system performance to the level of milliseconds but dedicating similar efforts to enhancing public tax efficiency could yield even greater societal benefits. Business entrepreneurs might also consider developing innovative business models that reduce taxes and boost tax spending efficiency while generating reasonable profits from taxpayers' savings.
On each Independence Day, beyond the traditional fireworks displays and extended weekends, Americans ought to reflect on the essence of independence, examine a range of quantitative measures to determine their degree of independence and engage in conversations about enhancing their independence by lowering tax burdens, boosting government spending transparency, and reclaiming control over expenditure decisions. If Americans don't concern themselves with understanding and quantifying the meaning of independence, the gradual erosion of their autonomy is inescapable, and there will be little reason for grievances.