In Brazil

Does the Brazilian government have legitimacy?

Many say that what matters is a “social contract”. Really?

This concept was introduced in the work Leviathan in 1651 by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Forgetting this boring part of the story, let’s get to the point.

Does the “social contract” not exist?? After all, I have never signed anything that would oblige me to support a system that does not fulfill its basic obligations, such as guaranteeing security, justice and quality services.

The Brazilian State constantly fails, with high rates of violence, corruption, and public services that barely work.

How can I be forced to pay taxes to a government that does not fulfill its part of the agreement?

Are taxes a form of modern slavery? Because we are forced to work 5 months a year just to pay taxes.

We have a tax burden similar to countries like Denmark and Sweden, and with a quality of public services similar to Afghanistan.

The Brazilian government, so incompetent, spent so much money between 2022 and 2025 that the Brazilian currency suffered the largest devaluation in the world. The economy is so devastated that it resembles that of countries at war, during a global crisis or after a nuclear attack. President Lula, even without a war in the country, manages to be more damaging to the economy than a real war.

In Brazil, public schools are not of good quality, and many end up like truck drivers facing bad roads. In addition to the toll, they pay IPVA, income tax, taxes on fuel and on the freight invoice. To avoid losses due to robberies, they take out private insurance, since public security is failing.

When they need public health, the SUS does not provide it, forcing them to pay for a private plan. In other words, they pay for two services: a public one that does not work and another private one out of necessity. And, even in death, the government charges taxes.

The disarmament policy is another example of how the State violates the rights of citizens. They took away our weapons under the pretext of security, but violence only increased. Today, we are unarmed and vulnerable, while the State does not protect us.

As for the public pension system INSS, it is unsustainable. It is on the verge of collapse and, in the future, many will not have a pension.

WHEN THE STATE FAILS IN ITS OBLIGATION, in the “social contract”, we are not talking more about public safety, but about legalized theft and slavery.

The central question is: how can a “contract” exist where:

• One party never agreed

• Cannot opt out

• Does not receive what was promised

• Is punished if they try to leave

• Has no negotiating power

This looks more like a relationship of forced submission than a legitimate contract.

A QUESTION

WHAT HAPPENS IF one day 200 million Brazilians join together in a campaign on social media and decide not to pay income tax?

Is it feasible for the State to punish everyone? What would happen in practice?