Jean Raine
Letter to the Tax inspector
Brussels, 1961
Dear Sir,
I wish to inform you about the lack of enthusiasm with which I have received, read, re-read, read one last time and finally torn the form which you were kind enough to send me.
Indeed, for many years, and experience has only strengthened my beliefs - I have considered that the tax collection entails for citizens, when they let it happen, an impoverishment susceptible to affect them profoundly. You will agree, Sir, as you are in the right position to judge the matter behind your desk. Your administration displeases people. The face of your taxpayers testifies of this.
For my part, wishing to continue to live with you in good terms and to have no grievance to formulate, I have decided to stop paying this tax. Consequently, this entails that I may spend carefree the totality of the money which I might sometimes earn (this being rare, I have to say it) and that thus if this money must be found, it is necessary to look for it elsewhere than with me. In particular in the State coffers, because I have to confess, sir, that I both smoke and
drink. These two main activities of my life inevitably imply limitations in other areas. And so for the last thirty four years I have been deprived of the pleasure of "contributing" towards the prosperity of the matters you are in charge of.
Another important point concerns the use of the money received by you and I cannot but express my extreme reservations on this point. It is purely accidental that I was brought to live on a planet whose population has worked out methods to prosper which are not mine. Thus I cannot collaborate, having no desire to earn a living or to possess anything. Therefore, it would be vain to cause the treasury the expenses of legal proceedings – perhaps fascinating but absolutely
vain - which may only, dear sir, add the expenses of my detention and the care which my person demands to the liabilities of the State.
I nevertheless remain your obligee.
Jean Raine
LETTER TO THE TAX INSPECTOR, followed by letters to C.Baciu and HP. Dotremont.
Published by: L'Echoppe 1993, Lettre à Monsieur le Percepteur
With the kind authorization of publication of Mrs Sanky Raine.
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