The moral case for tax - why fairness depends on it Richard Murphy

24th October 2025

We're told tax is a curse and even "theft." That's wrong.

Tax is how we build a fair society.

It plays an essential role in the funding of education, healthcare, and economic stability and justice.

It's how we express our shared responsibility. The real immorality lies in avoiding tax.

In this video, I explain why tax is not a burden but the foundation of democracy itself.

00:00 - The moral case for tax
00:35 - Tax as the price of civilisation
01:05 – What tax really does
01:40 – Tax as fairness, not punishment
02:10 – Wealth and public responsibility
02:45 – How tax shapes behaviour and democracy
03:20 – Wealth is never created alone
03:55 – Tax avoidance as moral failure
04:30 – Secrecy, loopholes, and democracy
05:05 – Reclaiming the language of tax
05:40 – Progressive tax and shared responsibility
06:10 – The myth of the 1% contribution
06:40 – Tax as a moral statement
07:10 – The true meaning of paying tax
07:40 – Final thoughts and viewer questions