Difference between revisions of "Poll tax"

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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[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/31/newsid_2530000/2530763.stm], 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, 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[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/31/newsid_2530000/2530763.stm], forced Thatcher from office in November 1990.  She was replaced by [[John Major]].