We've had
GST for years in
New Zealand and it hasn't killed us. Of course, it was scary when they implemented it... but it was
a trifling matter to work out an extra 10% in one's head, so we accepted it and moved on.
...except that taxing us 10% on every
single thing we bought or paid for wasn't enough, so it has been increased to 11.25%. I can add that tax on to a price with a bit of mental
contortion, but I'm damned if I can work out the
original prices in my head (why would I? I'll have to pay the GST anyway...).
However I maintain that
ideologically, being taxed on
money received, taxed again on
money spent and älso taxed on
money kept aside, is not the mark of a
free and
equitable society.