Kees and Betty Boeke considered war to be rooted in the entanglement of the state and capitalism. As Betty was a Cadbury, she inherited large shares in her family's firm. She renounced her wealth, transferring this money to various charitable organizations such as the Quaker-Help Organisation in Russia in 1920. Later, she gave the shares to a trust for the workers of the Cadbury factory. For a while, the Boekes abstained from using money, so as to avoid contributing to the state — since public funds are also spent on weapons. They never used public transport, nor did they pay postage, tolls, or taxes. As a result, they were imprisoned several times. On one occasion the Dutch tax authorities auctioned off the estate in order to recover taxes. Queen Wilhelmina was in attendance at the auction, and purchased Kees' favorite violin, only to return it to him on the spot. Boeke supported his family by working in Utrecht in a building association which he had founded; he did not work as an architect (which was his training), but as a simple worker.
