History of Taxation, Part One: Taxation in Ancient Egypt
8th November 2009 by Tax Man No CommentsW. Marc Gilfillan, CPA, NC, individual and business CPA and Tax expert, shares about the history of taxes…
Ancient Egypt wasn’t a place of terrible taskmasters and oppressed slavery - that is simply the impression we get from the tale of Moses, which formed at a time of turmoil in Egypt. Modern translations of Egyptian language tell a tale of life in ancient Egypt was usually bountiful and peaceful. The land was fertile, women and men had roughly equal rights and life was enjoyed. But, there were tax collectors, as numerous as “the sands of the seas”. The order of Egyptian life was kept by these “scribes” whose job was enforcing the pharaoh’s tax mandates. Most everything was taxed - sales, slaves, foreign people, imports, exports, and businesses. Crops were taxed at an astounding 20%. There was also a tax on cooking oil and inspectors would make continuous visitations to kitchens to ensure that free drippings were not being used as opposed to the taxed oil.
The idea of “freedom” ironically in ancient Egypt didn’t refer to one’s political or social liberty but to a person’s tax level. If you were “free,” it meant that you paid no taxes. Ironically, the word cannot be found anywhere in the Egyptian language. Good thing we live in this time eh? Go here if you want help with modern-day Tax Preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll in Cary NC.
However, the scribes were never brutal (at least in theory). They were taught to act kindly towards the poor and defenseless. One ancient translation instructs: “if a poor farmer is in arrears with his taxes, remit 2/3 of their taxes.”
Another translation encourages officials to “cheer up everyone and to put them into a good mood.”
And, if anyone is suffering under the pressure of their taxes, or is at the end of his means to pay them, you must let the case go unchecked.” If you’re feeling the pressure with today’s taxes, call a Raleigh NC Accountant for all your tax-related needs!
This lenient policy was coined “philanthropa”. From this word we get the word philandthropy.
Over the 3000 years of the Egyptian empire, there were many periods of humane and decent tax administration.
Keep an eye out for W. Marc Gilfillan’s next chapter in his History of Taxes series: Taxes and the Greeks. http://www.marccpa.com/
