Economic crisis and tax strike

Our country is practically living through a single-party era. Despite there being many parties, the existing ones are effectively non-existent in terms of a democratic state of law and democracy. They have no influence or effectiveness in any economic or political decision. Then, one must ask, “Why are you a separate party, or why do you even exist?”

Our country has been struggling with an economic crisis for a long time. On the other hand, along with the economic crisis, political and corruption crises are another problem for our country.

While the public is groaning under the weight of economic crisis, corruption, waste, and a crime economy, what are these political structures doing other than exploiting the public's sense of poverty and destitution, when they produce no solutions and offer no relief for any of the people's problems? In the face of the ruling party's rhetoric, all they do is act as subcontractors and trade barbs.

While the public—workers, civil servants, retirees, and tradespeople—are being crushed under a rain of taxes and price hikes, the only duty of the political parties that do not disturb their own comfort is to anesthetize the public.

Citizens are left without support. In whose name are they enduring so many price hikes and high taxes? We are going through a process where production is punished and consumption is rewarded. The public no longer has the strength to endure.

Taxes are a fundamental source of financing for the state. Therefore, they are met with tolerance as long as they are collected and spent for their intended purpose. However, this tolerance has now exceeded its limits in our country. The public has begun to turn its tolerance against these high taxes and price hikes into a reaction.

The public is deeply concerned about these tax and price hike policies. These oppressive and unjust taxes and hikes are increasing resistance to taxation. Society has begun to view taxes not as a patriotic duty, but as a burden. This is a warning to the government and all parties.

Whether the tax system is fair is a matter of debate. Furthermore, while some citizens pay their taxes on time, the fact that others pay late or partially has led to the formation of a collective belief and has made the legitimacy of the system a subject of debate. This situation also damages voluntary compliance with taxes.

If this situation continues for a long time, it could lead to giving up on production, stopping investments, paying taxes late or not at all, and even reaching the mindset of “I will go bankrupt if I don't evade taxes.”

Financial coercion in taxation is also forcing citizens who pay their taxes regularly to step outside the tax system. There is no longer any justification for paying high taxes during an economic crisis.

As a result of the pressure from taxes and price hikes, taxpayers and those responsible for tax collection have begun to show a reaction of resistance and opposition to taxes and hikes.

The situation where taxpayers show a reaction aimed at the total abolition of a tax is called “tax refusal.” Accordingly, a taxpayer evading taxes practically means they are refusing the tax. In this context, while tax avoidance and evasion are individual reactions, tax refusal is a social phenomenon.

While tax refusal is an individual reaction shown against taxes, a tax strike is an indicator of social behavior. It is a collective reaction that arises as a result of the tax burden being perceived as high by taxpayers.

If this reaction cannot be prevented, while paying taxes is a reaction initiated individually, the initial social reaction loses this quality after a while and turns into a political reaction and organization.

This is my call to the political power and all parties: The burden of taxes and price hikes is getting heavier by the day, and this is causing serious social reactions in society. To prevent these reactions from turning into a political nature, abandon high taxes and price hikes, and provide ease in taxation. Roll back the price hikes and taxes implemented in the last year or implement tax cuts.