Redemption theory fuses tax avoidance, anti-government conviction, and litigiousness

Evidence

Redemption theory rests on three peculiarly American things: a desire not to pay taxes, the conviction that the government doesn’t have the right to boss you around, and a willingness to spend vast amounts of time in court to back up those beliefs. — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 592

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clean definitional core: what redemption theory actually is, compressed into three American impulses.
• XREF: connects to: IRS debunking paradoxically reinforces redemption theory’s appeal to believers — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 607; Redemption scams exploit tax code opacity and belief that others beat the system — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 645

Broader Connections

• Redemption scams exploit tax code opacity and belief that others beat the system #exemplifies (0.90) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 645
• IRS debunking paradoxically reinforces redemption theory’s appeal to believers #expands (0.88) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 607