"The politicians don't just want your money. They want your soul. They want you to be worn down by taxes until you are dependent and helpless. When you subsidize poverty and failure, you get more of both." - James Dale Davidson

             It is a Libertarian position that without governmental taxation Americans would still help aid in the welfare of the poor through private charities.  The idea is that by forcing the citizens to pay for the social welfare system through taxes, it relieves the personal need for charitable acts in the middle class.  Basically, if you lower taxes by eliminating governmental welfare, like Medicaid or TANF, individual citizens will donate an equal or greater amount of money to help the poor and the sick.  I believe that this is a testable position; will individuals be more likely to give to charity freely if the government does not force them to pay taxes as well?   

            First, begin with a random sample of the population and distribute them randomly into two groups.  Group One will be asked to perform a simple mental task such as addition after 15 minutes of light exercise.  The task itself is unimportant; it is only there to have the participant believe that the task is the experiment.  After completion of the task, the participant is paid a sum of money for their participation.  Group Two is given the same task.  After completion, they are told they were to receive the same sum as Group One (with no mention of Group One) but $1 of it was withheld for donation to a charity.  So, Group One receives x sum; Group Two receives x - 1.  The sum should be given to both sides with some singles included.

            The true experiment begins after the groups are paid and leave the building.  A disguised researcher (ex. As a homeless person or someone looking for money for a vending machine) waits outside.  They ask both groups for money.  The amount donated by each group is recorded.  If the amount donated by Group One is equal to or greater than the amount donated by Group Two (including the $1 taken by the experimenter), it could show that involuntary charity is unneeded or even a determent to individual altruism. 

            If any one reading this has heard of similar experiments already performed, please let me know I would be interested in reading the results.