Socialists living under the oppression of capitalism should avoid paying taxes.

This isn't socialism you're proposing... this is just another &F#^*%$ version of revolutionary communism. Revolution should only be supported if it leaves one with a significantly better country. It won't, because: 1) In the first instance it won't because there are always losses with revolution. Many good things get wrecked and broken. Only stupid teenagers and other people who feel no ownership of the current society will enjoy this. We should have faith that the people who write for SWP.org.uk are going to deliver us into a paradise, when every other such revolution has ended in depressing failure? 2) There are better ways of improving society. One lobbies MPs, one gets petitions put forward, one VOTES. Yes, I know this can be tiresome, boring even, however civilisation is only a few days thick (as shown by the Hurricane Katrina disaster) and in Britain you have a couple of thousand years at stake. The UK, having given birth to nearly every social advancement since the Romans ruled... and these bad eggs are suggesting burning the nest? 3) The supporters of this idea are inept. This is shown by their childish belief that the only solution is destruction and starting anew. Clearly they are too damned inept to encourage a popular uprising, put together a petition or even vote in appreciable numbers. Doubtless the commos [communists, dear thick-ohs] can see no other way forward - at least no other way resulting in them appearing at the top. Not destined for success without a nasty conspiracy instigated by themselves. 4) Britain is already the world's 5th largest economy. There are typically a small number of possibilities that lead to something better, and very many that lead to something worse. This is as true of revolutions as it is of mutations. While money is not everything, it is a significant factor in peoples' lives. How will you make people be better off in a capitalist world? Giving to the lazy/dumb workers is not an incentive for them to change. Taking from the hard/clever workers is not not an incentive for them to continue. Educated English speakers are extremely mobile and will fly. 5) Too many people are already on the fiddle. Like yourself, a vast proportion of people are already avoiding (if not evading) tax. Effectively the grand plan has already been enacted. (Why do you suppose VAT was invented?) 6) History suggests it will all turn to custard. Come the revolution, after you've had your fun killing all the lawyers and guillotining the aristos, then comes the hard part: doing a better job as an amateur than the professionals you've replaced. If you don't improve things rapidly, you risk a counter-revolution - where you're up against the wall. This would not be first revolution in Britain's history. Allow me to re-animate it for you: - You, a malcontent despite being fairly well-off decide the current regime needs to go. - Through clever and devious means you succeed. - You then impose your idea of utopia on everyone else (Cromwell's Puritanism) vs (Eggleston's Marxism) - They don't like it! (Closed theatres, boring clothes, prayer all the time.) vs (heavy taxes, slackers being rewarded, earnest commo propaganda all the time) - The rest of the Commonwealth (52 soverign nations) boycott you, probably the US too. The Russians and Chinese roll their eyes. - You get chucked out (by Charles II's Supporters) vs (by Charles III's supporters (or William V's or Henry IX's)) - You get a cardboard burial, and worse yet, you suffer a posthumous "execution" at Tyburn. - You are remembered as yet another [something ignominious] who failed to learn from history. - Charles, William or Henry rules as King until convinced by politicians that playing polo is more fun. - Things return to the status quo. Damnable waste of time as well as innocent (and not-so-innocent) life.