Taxation and Representation Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Taxation and Representation Debate - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the British parliament in imposing taxes on colonies and plantations argues that these dominions â€Å"have been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent upon the imperial crown and parliament of Great Britain† and that the â€Å"King's Majesty of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, subjects of the crown of Great Britain†. As such, colonists have no power to vote or pass any resolutions or question the British Parliament’s actions. The colonists do not refute the fact that they are subordinate to British parliament and just like British residents, they owe allegiance to the Crown but they also have the same rights as natural born of Britain owing to the fact that their ancestors were born there (First Continental Congress). As such, they ought to have equal representation in parliame nt as the Britons. However, this is not the case as they have no representation in the parliament and hence are not bound by decisions of that parliament. Governments are given consent by the people to defend their lives, liberty, and property and according to Adams â€Å"it is the community to assess pay† for such service (Adams, The Rights of Colonists). Since the whole community cannot be in the Assembly, it is their representatives to air their opinions. But the colonists are not represented in British parliament hence do not give consent personally or through their representatives thus are not supposed to be taxed. As for the British argument that parliament represents all British possessions, this may be true but experience has proved that the same parliament does not safeguard their rights or property. Henry Patrick in his article Give me Liberty or Give me Death in 1775 argues that they have tried all the means necessary (petitions, demonstrations, supplications) to h ave parliament listen and act on their pleas to no avail. Instead, navies and armies are placed in the colonies to force them to submit.