A 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 miserable slaves – that’s only the stigma we get from the story of Moses, which came at a time of turmoil in Egypt. Actual translations of hieroglyphics indicate that life in ancient Egypt was usually pleasant and peaceful. The land was rich, women and men were equal 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” whose job was enforcing the pharaoh’s tax mandates. Most everything was taxed – sales, slaves, foreign people, imports, exports, and businesses. Agriculture was taxed at a hefty 20%. There was even a charge on cooking oil and inspectors would make regular visitations to kitchens to ensure that free drippings were not being used as opposed to the taxed oil.
The word “freedom” ironically in ancient Egypt didn’t refer to someone’s political or social liberty but to one’s tax level. If you were “free,” it meant that you were exempt from taxation. Ironically, 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 taught to act kindly to the poor and defenseless. An example from an ancient translation instructs: “if a poor farmer is in arrears with his taxes, cut two-thirds of their taxes.”
Another translation encourages officials to “cheer up everyone and to put them into good humor.”
And, if anyone is suffering under pressures of taxation, 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 called “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/