The compulsory apologia: no 2 - fees 'just like tax'

One regularly heard apology for compulsory membership is that compulsory student association fees are 'just like tax' and are therefore justified.

But this week, no less an authority than Russell Brown has given us a handy definition of tax. Writing about the proposed artists' resale royalty, Brown argued the levy is not a tax because, "taxes are rendered to the government."

Got that? Taxes are rendered to the government. Not to incorporated societies. Not to the government and incorporated societies. Just to the government.

So apologists, please remove the 'just like tax' excuse from your apologia. Russell has spoken.