4,000 years of taxes and we still can’t get it right
AT the start of things there were those in the 100 per cent bracket (slaves) and those who were not (tax collectors).
The collectors were nobles, their bosses kings.
Along came Alexander the Great promising tax cuts for those who gave up to him without a fight.
His army sacked the Inland Revenue centres in Asia, Persia and Egypt. Cities gave up before his army even got to them.
Low tax Alex’s empire enjoyed massive economic growth, people had time to write and think.
But Alex died and other Greeks took over.
Taxes were raised and the economy collapsed.
The Romans took over, once again lowering taxes to those who gave up without a fight.
Everyone joined apart from a few socialists in Israel, who they crucified.
The Roman empire expanded, bringing law and culture.
Rome itself was probably the most swinging fun city the world ever knew.
They invented bondage and orgies etc. They even set up offshore tax centres in Delos and other places. Some centuries later the new Roman party shut down the offshore centres and the Empire collapsed.
Europe was taken over by a new gang of tax collectors called Vandals.
They believed in 100 per cent tax followed by death, which didn’t do a lot for the tax base.
Taxes were collected by feudal lords and churches.
Despite the odd tax relief raids by Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan, tax remained high for centuries.
This time was called the Dark Ages probably because no one could afford to put the lights on.
From then on Arabs had a go and then the Spanish, who discovered America.
They imposed 100 per cent taxes on the natives.
The British joined in, but were thrown out by a tax revolt.
It took 125 years to get taxes back to British levels, but then the Democrat Party was formed and it raised taxes. Everybody left for Paris, but the French put up taxes to pay for the Maginot Lline, a dance troupe at the Folies Bergere and other frivolous projects.
Tax rates shot up around the world so everyone felt mean and we had World War 1.
After the war the Allies stuffed the Germans with taxes.
Lifetime savings of Germans were confiscated through an inflation tax. Foreclosures were rampant, unemployment and anarchy threatened.
The communists were the largest party in urban areas and hope for the future was gone.
Germany needed a man on ‘a white horse’. In rode Hitler.
He was probably the 20th century’s best economist, but he wanted to be the world’s only tax collector, favouring once again the 100 per cent rate.
Some people didn’t agree and went to the gas chambers paying 100 per cent on the way.
To avoid this fate the rest of the world decided to oppose him and we had World War 2.
After the war the Japanese and Germans were fed American tax codes and for 10 years they got nowhere.
Then Germany and Japan found a few loopholes and prospered while communist China was suffering famines.
Eventually the Commies got it right, cut taxes and production soared. Great Britain nearly went extinct with tax rates up to 98 per cent.
The Tories told us they would cut taxes and things got better, until we realised they had lied, income tax was reduced but VAT was raised.
New taxes were invented to confuse the public, such as airport tax, insurance premium tax and poll tax. Poll tax was scrapped after minor tax revolts and replaced by the council tax which has been raised by the maximum every year and yet councils are bleating that they don’t have enough money.
This just goes to show that even with the benefit of 4,000 years of past history of taxes to go on, our councils and government still haven’t a clue. JOHN GOTELEE
London Road
Newbury