Difference between revisions of "Poll tax"
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==Great Britain== | ==Great Britain== | ||
The '''poll tax''', also known as the community charge, was a failed attempt at a true [[level tax]], introduced by [[Margaret Thatcher]] in [[Scotland]] in 1988 and in [[England]] and [[Wales]] in 1990. The thinking behind it was that instead of traditional taxation systems based on [[income tax|income]], the total tax requirement would be divided by the population, thus ensuring that everyone paid the same amount. While popular with those who had previously been paying high levels of taxation, it proved unpopular with the [[poor]], many of whom were left with tax bills of more than their entire income. Disquiet with the [[poll tax]], combined with her growing personal unpopularity and a sense within her party that she was an electoral liability<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/31/newsid_2530000/2530763.stm</ref>, forced Thatcher from office in November 1990. She was replaced by [[John Major]]. | The '''poll tax''', also known as the community charge, was a failed attempt at a true [[level tax]], introduced by [[Margaret Thatcher]] in [[Scotland]] in 1988 and in [[England]] and [[Wales]] in 1990. The thinking behind it was that instead of traditional taxation systems based on [[income tax|income]], the total tax requirement would be divided by the population, thus ensuring that everyone paid the same amount. While popular with those who had previously been paying high levels of taxation, it proved unpopular with the [[poor]], many of whom were left with tax bills of more than their entire income. Disquiet with the [[poll tax]], combined with her growing personal unpopularity and a sense within her party that she was an electoral liability<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/31/newsid_2530000/2530763.stm</ref>, forced Thatcher from office in November 1990. She was replaced by [[John Major]]. | ||
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| + | The Poll tax in the UK was replaced in 1993 by the Council Tax. The rate of Council Tax is set by the Local Government, who then receive 25% of the revenue to fund local services. The Tax is split into several bands with the band you pay based upon the value of your main house. There are discounts for single occupiers of a residence. Council Tax is often seen as unpopular and regressive, and there are some political parties that wish to replace the flat bands based on house value with a local income tax based upon yearly income. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 18:46, August 21, 2010
United States
A poll tax is a voluntary tax that must be paid to exercise the right to vote. The 24th Amendment of the US Constitution, ratified in 1964, outlawed the use of this kind of tax as a condition of voting. Poll taxes were levied in several states after the Civil War for the purpose of preventing poor people from voting. In the southern states, this effectively suppressed African American and Native American voters.[1]
Great Britain
The poll tax, also known as the community charge, was a failed attempt at a true level tax, introduced by Margaret Thatcher in Scotland in 1988 and in England and Wales in 1990. The thinking behind it was that instead of traditional taxation systems based on income, the total tax requirement would be divided by the population, thus ensuring that everyone paid the same amount. While popular with those who had previously been paying high levels of taxation, it proved unpopular with the poor, many of whom were left with tax bills of more than their entire income. Disquiet with the poll tax, combined with her growing personal unpopularity and a sense within her party that she was an electoral liability[2], forced Thatcher from office in November 1990. She was replaced by John Major.
The Poll tax in the UK was replaced in 1993 by the Council Tax. The rate of Council Tax is set by the Local Government, who then receive 25% of the revenue to fund local services. The Tax is split into several bands with the band you pay based upon the value of your main house. There are discounts for single occupiers of a residence. Council Tax is often seen as unpopular and regressive, and there are some political parties that wish to replace the flat bands based on house value with a local income tax based upon yearly income.
References
External links
- Newsfilm Online Poll Tax Riots in London. ITN mid-evening news, March 31 1990. Accessed July 7 2007 (Requires Windows Media Player or Apple QuickTime)