Before the common man began 'filing' income taxes in the 1930s, our federal government had the authority to printing fiat money. There were roads, we had a standing military, and the congressmen were paid salaries. There has never been any real connection between income tax revenue and federal spending. Originally Posted by RetiredSubmarinerPrior to 1933, there was no fiat money because the dollar was tied to gold.
After 1971, every dollar bill out there was fiat.
The only value it held after that was simply that the government said it would back it.