Hugo Black: Taxation by Confession

Posted by admin on Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Hugo Black Money Quote saying we are expected to admit those taxes we owe when filing. Hugo Black said:
 

 

“The United States has a system of taxation by confession” — Hugo Black

 

 

This quote from Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black is making an observation about the U.S. tax system. By referring to it as a “system of taxation by confession”, Black is suggesting that the way taxes are collected in America relies heavily on individuals self-reporting their own financial information and income amounts.

Rather than the government independently verifying every person’s earnings, taxes function through citizens openly admitting (“confessing”) what they owe in tax filings like income tax returns.

So in essence, Black’s comment recognizes that the U.S. approach to taxation depends substantially on people willingly disclosing their personal financial details, as opposed to other systems that may involve more proactive auditing and enforcement efforts by the tax authorities.