The only reason a society would tax itself and give the money to the poor, is if (at least) some <i>individuals</i> in that society wanted to give their money to the poor.  If no one in the society wants to give their money to the poor, then the society as a whole wouldn't tax itself for that reason, either.<p>As a believer in personal property rights, I think that those individuals who care about the poor should be free to give their money to the poor.  But I don't think that their moral high horse gives them a right to use other people's money.