Taxes are often depicted as excessive, unfair and abusive. This view is not untrue: history offers a wide range of examples where taxation has been used as a means of oppression or has been applied arbitrarily against people. European democracies have in the last two centuries gone through fundamental changes which have profoundly modified the role of the State, the relationship between citizens and public authorities and as a consequence, the very nature of taxation. Nevertheless, the process is far from being completed: much remains to be done to legitimize the role of taxes, not only as resources to finance public policies, but also as instruments to foster democratic participation and social inclusion.

Edoardo Traversa is a professor of Taxation law and policy and Vice-Dean of international relations at the UCLouvain and a visiting professor in different European universities (Bologna, Leuven, Vienna, Valencia). He frequently intervenes in the media, advises European and Belgian public authorities and holds public talks on tax policy issues. He is also a lawyer and a local councillor in a Brussels municipality.
Multicultural and multilingual, passionate about Europe, he eagerly explores new ways to reinvent democracy and (tax) citizenship.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx