When you pay enough and have the right government, a society.
free tuition
free or at least affordable healthcare
social security
physical security
transportation
Without it, our country (the Netherlands) would be a lot smaller, as most of it would be below sea level. It still is, but the dykes, which are build and maintained via taxes, keep the sea at bay. No roads to travel on, no military to defend the country, no healthcare that is affordable for all and no food on the table for the unemployed.
When your taxes are spent well, it’s a great return on investment. (My income for one ;) ) However, when the government is mostly corporate owned, the return is a lot less.