Final answer:
Benjamin Franklin feared that new taxes imposed without consent would lead to organized resistance and disrupt colonial unity, prompting calls for independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Benjamin Franklin feared that the new taxes would provoke resistance and undermine colonial unity. By taxing the colonies without their consent, Franklin saw the potential for an organized boycott and public outcry, as those most affected by the taxes—the merchants and wealthy—had the means to mobilize a resistance movement.
The taxes on luxury goods and trade, though not direct taxes on income, were seen as oppressive and led to actions like those against the Sugar and Stamp Acts. These actions included influential essays and calls for colonial unity, echoing the sentiment that taxation without representation was tantamount to enslavement.