Governments tax you, even though they could just print the money, because they don't want your money to compete with the money they print out of thin air to buy stuff.

Fun thought experiment: You paint your friends house for $100. He fixes your car for $100. You both pay $25 in income tax. You guys used to have $200, now you have $150.

He mows your lawn, you clear his sink drain. Another $100 each. You both pay $25 each in tax again.

Now y'all only got $100, but you used to have $200.