Research tends to show that people are happiest (and most innovative) when the consequences of failure are low and the rewards of success are high.<p>You could see this in the US for a long time: if you truly failed, you were protected by bankruptcy and welfare. If you truly succeeded, you could make enough money that none of your descendants would ever have to work again. (Bankruptcy is one of the most important reasons for the success of the US, by the way.)
No. Next question please.<p>Would the world be better off without taxation?<p>Yes. Yes it would.<p>If we could produce all the products/services the government needs to produce using Seniorage our economy would take off like a rocket forever.<p>Now fight me.<p>But I'm convinced that that's how you get from the world of Snow Crash to the Diamond Age. If it's not this, it's something like it.