History of Taxation, Part 1: Taxes and Ancient Egypt
W. Marc Gilfillan, CPA, NC, individual and business CPA and Tax expert, shares about the history of taxes…
Ancient Egypt wasn’t a place of cruel taskmasters and oppressed slavery – that is only the impression we get from the tale of Exodus, which formed at a time of chaos in Egypt. Modern translations of Egyptian language indicate that life in ancient Egypt was usually bountiful and relatively at peace. The land was fertile, women and men had roughly equal rights and life was enjoyed. But, there were tax collectors, as many as “the sands of the seas”. The order of Egyptian life was kept by these “scribes” who were charged with enforcing the pharaoh’s tax mandates. Almost all aspects of life were taxed – sales, slaves, foreigners, imports, exports, and businesses. Agriculture was taxed at an astounding 20%. There was even a tax on cooking oil and inspectors would make regular visitations to kitchens to make sure that free drippings were not being used instead of the taxed oil.
The word “freedom” ironically in ancient Egypt didn’t refer to someone’s political or social liberty but to one’s taxation status. If you were “free,” it meant that you were exempt from taxation. Interestingly, the word is not 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 not brutal (at least in theory). They were told to be kind to the poor and defenseless. One ancient text states: “if a poor farmer is in trouble with his taxes, remit 2/3 of them.”
Another translation encourages officials to “lighten up everyone and to place them into good humor.”
And, if someone is suffering under pressures 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 that 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/
