There are a lot of questions wrapped up in yours :)<p>Briefly: if you pare Government back to core functions, you don&#x27;t need much money.  In New Zealand, we (meaning the Libertarianz) estimated it at around $2,500 &#x2F; working adult &#x2F; year.  That (back at the turn of the 21st century) would get you courts, police, Parliament, defense, embassies and the glue to run it all.<p>Then you need a way of raising the money.  Probably, most working people can afford $2,500 per year to keep civilisation running, especially if they&#x27;re not paying any other taxes.  Maybe a poll tax?  Seems reasonable that those paying also do the voting.  Could simply solicit donations, or maybe run a lottery.<p>But no: you couldn&#x27;t run a socialist country that way.  Which is sort of the point :)