There always seem to be confusion around economics and politics, thinking a paper on economics is government propaganda. They are not the same. Politics will manipulate economics for their own personal gain. Hell, first econ lesson i ever had the professor specifically warned us against going into politics. "Be a yes man or ignored".

Taxes are a great example. Economic means of redistribution and supply of public goods that cannot typically exists in a free market. Street lights are good, but they'll never been provided in the free market because people have an incentive not to pay for them. Or, as a use of subsidisation to otherwise inefficient markets, such as health care. Most of the time, no one minds these taxes. this is the only economic point for taxation, a means of providing societal necessities. And its only fair that those with greater means to pay should pay more, otherwise in real terms the poorest are paying the most.

Then, you see your taxes going into corruption, bureaucracy and paperwork. Subsiding the already rich. Or, non progressive taxation where the rich gets away without paying a penny. This isn't economics. There is no economic meaning to this. This is politics and corruption.

Essentially, what I'm trying to say is that the economic idea of taxes aren't inherently bad. Not great either but a means to an end. However, the political implementation of taxes is what damages trust in the system.