A must-read .....
For Good and Evil: The Impact of Taxes on the Course of Civilization
Charles Adams (New York: Madison Books, 1993); 530 pages; $29.95.
“In his superbly researched book, Mr. Adams reminds us of a simple historical fact often ignored by politicians and historians: societies cannot and will not tolerate unjust and excessive taxation for long. Starting with the ancient Egyptians and comfortably working his way through ancient Rome, medieval England, the Spanish empire, and early America, Mr. Adams clearly demonstrates how taxation has played a critical role in the demise of some of the world’s great civilizations. For example, who remembers that ancient Israel split after King Solomon’s death because his son refused to cut debilitating taxes? Unfortunately, the book suffers from a few flaws. The most egregious can be found in the later chapters where the author makes prolonged and tiresome comparisons of the IRS to the Gestapo and KGB. Nevertheless, potential readers need not be deterred: this book is both illuminating and enjoyable.”
Very good stuff. This is exactly what I need. I saw an older Brian Lamb interview with an economist that had written some book about Reagnomics that was pretty terrific...can’t remember the name.