It is often argued that fulfilling tax obligations is sufficient to consider oneself a responsible member of society. However, others are of the opinion that individuals have broader social responsibilities beyond financial contributions. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my own viewpoint, which aligns more closely to the latter.
There are convincing reasons why some opine that individuals’ responsibility towards society is just within paying taxes adequately. One key reason for this belief is that financial contributions fund essential public services. For example, the government can allocate tax money to improve infrastructure, healthcare and education, which is critical to functioning society. As a result, individuals who just accomplish paying taxes duty can significantly contribute to overall social improvement. Furthermore, it is argued that not all individuals can engage in other activities to show their responsibilities to society. For instance, disabled or elderly still pay taxes normally but they might face difficulties in physically-demanding activities such as volunteering and activism. Therefore, while being responsible for all aspects of life rather than tax matters is important, it should not be compulsory for all residents, especially those with health disadvantages.
However, I would argue that being a good citizen requires more than financial obligation. Society depends not only on money but also cooperation, shared values, and active participation. In fact, money can address several problems such as poverty, low-standard infrastructure, and even pandemic. However, money alone can not result in an ideal society, it also requires practical actions from individuals such as participating in volunteer groups, maintaining public cleanliness, and protecting social justice. Such actions sound small but will be significant with the cooperation of many individuals. Thus, people should be more responsible for society through even small actions, because the correlation of the public is the key to societal well-being.
In conclusion, although paying taxes is an essential way to develop society, it should be regarded as one aspect of civil responsibility. Consequently, individuals should also engage non-financial roles such as promoting empathy, cooperation and a sense of shared responsibility.