Stamp Act Theme of Duty

This isn't a pun. We swear.

Okay, it's kind of a pun—it's just a lame one. The idea of a "duty" as something you pay is related to the idea of "duty" as something you're compelled to do. Either way, you have to do something you might choose otherwise not to do.

For the British crown it was a literal duty for the colonists—pay this for these goods—as well as the figurative duty of loyal subjects. The logic of the Stamp Act was this: the colonists were benefitting from being British subjects, so they should have to pay for the privilege.

1. What obligations do citizens have to their country? Do they include taxation? How much is reasonable? Why?
2. Are the duties of a citizen different based on how close they are to the seat of government? The American colonists were across an entire ocean. Did that matter? Should it?
3. What duties does a government have to its citizens? Was the crown fulfilling those, or was it asking for money that it didn't earn?

Because a legitimate government is a creation of the people, any action it takes must be supported by the people.

The Stamp Act was merely one half of a transaction between government and citizen. The government provided a service, and when presented with the bill, the citizenry revolted.