Reply #26: Taxes benefit the commons, Charity benefits only the charitable organization it serves.

[haele]

Roads do not get built by charity. Regulations don't get enforced by charity. Charity won't keep the VA open and running, nor will it ensure the basic needs for a society to thrive.
Charity is nobless oblige, given to salve the spirit and make one feel better about their own fortune to a direct "need" as defined by the giver.
Charity is also fleeting. If no one wants give, the charities lose money.
Taxes deal with everyday life and handle the nitty gritty not so glamorous issues and details that no one else in society thinks about - or if they do, feels the need to address.

Taxes are far more important to the wellbeing of a society than charity is.

Haele