The Main Reasons Why a Government Taxes Its Citizens - Essay Example

This paper will be discussing why the United Kingdom government collects taxes from its citizens and to what use the collected taxes are used for in the state.

Some of the reasons the United Kingdom government collects tax from its citizens is in order to facilitate the construction and maintenance of schools or education, as well as hospitals and roads. When looking at schools, it will be right to say that the taxes collected by the state in this endeavor is used in the public school sector where the government has a responsibility to provide free education. Hence, the money collected as taxes is used to maintain the schools and besides that cater for any expenses incurred. Public hospitals are another area where taxes are utilized in the name of public service offered by the government to its citizens, here the government offers health care at a subsidized rate in order to offer cheaper medical care and assistance to the less privileged in society.

The state also collects taxes in order to be able to provide defenses as well as military capabilities to the state. Defense is one of the most important duties a state has to its citizens. Therefore, the majority of the taxes are usually consumed in defense, the state uses the resources possible to track information as well as protect the country from internal and external attacks of terrorism. Being so the government uses the money to provide the defense ministry with the required necessities to protect the state from attacks as well as be prepared for war when the need may arise.

Citizens in the United Kingdom also pay taxes in order to support the royal family. For example, the recent royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William expenses were paid for by the taxpayer The British government has the civil list, which contains the list of members of the royal family who receive payment in exchange for performing state duties. Such duties include opening buildings, attending overseas meetings among other state duties (James, 2009). However, not all members of the royal family are included on the civil list; it mostly includes members of the senior royal family.

The government collects taxes from the public for the main reason of creating jobs that are required for the development of the country. Therefore, the revenue collected by the state is used to implement development projects that were already incorporated in the state budget for the year. Hence, by doing so more job opportunities are created and therefore, creating more wealth for the country that is necessary for the growth development of the country.