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Awful Historical... By Jeff Somogyi, dealnews Media Editor
On April 16, at 11:50, as you scramble to complete your tax forms in time, take a moment to reflect on how once upon a time taxes were way crazier. Here's a short list of five taxes that make what you owe Uncle Sam seem a bit more reasonable.
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Beard Tax Hairless faces were all the rage in Europe in 1705, so, in wanting to make his country more "fashionable," Peter I of Russia decided to tax the beard. The fee for being follicular could be as much as 100 rubles for nobility, but as little as 1 kopek for the "lesser classes." The law was later changed to tax only beards with two or more week's growth. Think being an accountant is boring these days? Back then you had to watch beards grow.
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Wallpaper Tax From 1712 to 1836, Britain (The Original Home of Weird TaxesTM) had a tax on all painted, printed, and patterned wallpaper. The fee could be as much as 1 shilling per square yard of wallpaper. Adjusted for inflation and converted to real money, that's about $4.24 in today's currency. Per square yard. We're guessing that a lot of people at that moment realized that bare walls didn't look that bad, all things considered.
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Soap Tax England (yes, again!) started taxing soap in 1711. By the time the tax was repealed in 1853, it was raking in the equivalent of $125 million a year in today's money. People were already interested in getting clean, but the tax repeal made soap even more popular. And if it would mean an end to the inane Axe Body Wash ads, we might sign a petition for its reinstatement.
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Tea Tax In 1773, Colonial America was seen as a great way to unload a huge surplus of tea that the British East India Company found themselves with. The Tea Act was going to ensure that colonials bought the tea and submitted to England's taxation rules in one fell swoop — two birds with one Earl Grey, if you would. Of course, young Americans balked at it, dressed up, and threw some of that tea into the Boston Harbor. And because of that, we now have a Starbucks on every corner. Thanks, early colonists!
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Pee Tax In ancient Rome (c. 69-79), urine was a necessity in both tanneries (where they made leather) and in laundries (yes, where they cleaned your clothes with it). Before you imagine legions of Roman citizens hopping up and down on one leg, we should point out that the government only taxed those who bought the urine, not those who (ahem) produced it.
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See More on deal... Click here to find out what other Americans plan to do with their tax refunds.
