[Avodah] Taxes

[Efraim Yawitz]

With the recent discussion of "dina d'malchusa" on the list, I would
like to get a more precise definition of what our obligations to the
government are, since some people seem to be presenting this as a very
black-and-white issue.

I don't know if this is really true, but I read once that in Italy, if
one would try to obey all the tax laws on the books, he would have to
pay something like 200% of his income to the government.  Are we
really obligated to follow "dina d'malchusa" to this extent?

This may be a far-out example, but less extreme cases abound.  Is
there some limit beyond which governmental power becomes illegitimate?
 Even governments which are freely elected have their excesses.  (The
Nazis were freely elected in Germany, and this is not the only example
of dictators rising to power through peaceful channels.)

Kol Tuv,

Ephraim