"Born Free, (But) Taxed to Death” is a common anti-tax slogan, found on T-shirts and bumper stickers. The saying has been cited in print from at least 1974 and has been popular in high-tax Sweden.


Patriot Depot
Born Free Taxed to Death
Bumper Sticker (5-Pack)

Zazzle.com
Born Free Taxed To Death
T-shirt

4 November 1974, Traverse City (MI) Record-Eagle, “About town with Gene Brown,” pg. 4, col. 2:
BUMPER STICKERS NOTED
“Born Free—But Taxed to Death.”

17 October 1975, Oakland (CA) Tribune, “Wacky Do, Wacky Do” by Bill Friset, pg. 15, col. 1:
Truth in graffito, over at Jovanelo’s: “Born free, but taxed to death.”

Google Books
28 February 1980, New Scientist, pg. 672, col. 2:
“Born free, taxed to death” is a current favourite car sticker.
(In Sweden—ed.)

Google Books
Justice, Liberty, Compassion:
Analysis of and implications for “humane” health care and rehabilitation in the United States : some lessons from Sweden
By Ruth B Purtilo; World Rehabilitation Fund.
New York, NY (400 East 34th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016): World Rehabilitation Fund
1981
Pg. 28:
A popular bumper sticker reads, Born Free — Taxed to Death. Swedes do pay high taxes; the leveling effect among different income groups is far more pronounced than in the United States (where tax dodges still are easier to effect).

Google News Archive
2 February 1983, Bangor (ME) Daily News, “Truckers’ strike violence spreads” (Associated Press), pg. 1, col. 5:
Carrying signs saying “Born Free, Taxed to Death” and “Reagan deserves an Emmy for his latest performance, Repeal ridiculous taxes,” the truckers formed a long convoy in the parking lot of an abandoned supermarket.

Google News Archive
29 September 1983, Palm Beach (FL) Post, “State Appeal Court Urged To Block Citizens Choice,” pg. B6, col. 2:
On the signs were such statements as “Born Free—Taxed to Death,” “Honk if You Hate Taxes,” “TAXES are revolting, why aren’t you?” and “TAXES are Legalized Theft.”

OCLC WorldCat record
Slash property taxes : born free, taxed to death
Author: Carolyn J Logan
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Western Search, ©1986.
Edition/Format: Book : English

Google News Archive
2 April 1988, Schenectady (NY) Gazette, “Dufel Continues Battle With State Over Land Grab for Thruway Detour” by Jay Cadmus, pg. 13, col. 1:
For years, signs have dotted his property, bearing such legends as “Born Free, Reassessed, Taxed To Death,” and more recently, “Strangers On My Land. Where’s Our Justice?”

Google Books
The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Swedes
By Peter Berlin
London: Oval Books
2000
Pg. 15:
There is a saying that all Swedish people are born free but taxed to death.

OCLC WorldCat record
Born free - taxed to death
Author: Rory James O’Rourke
Publisher: Scarborough, W.A. : O’Rourke Publishing, 2002.
Edition/Format: Book : English