Just Taxes
The Politics of Taxation in Britain, 1914–1979

Just Taxes offers an analysis of the politics of taxation in the twentieth century.

Martin Daunton (Author)

9780521039796, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 16 August 2007

424 pages, 23 tables
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm, 0.633 kg

'Daunton has drawn upon a wide range of archival and printed sources to produce a coherent and accessible account of a complex subject … Just taxes is as important for the study of British history in the twentieth century as trusting Leviathan is for the nineteenth.' The Historical Journal

In 1914, taxation was about 10 per cent of GNP; by 1979, taxes had risen to almost half of the total national income, and contributed to the rise of Thatcher. Martin Daunton continues the story begun in Trusting Leviathan, offering an analysis of the politics of acceptance of huge tax rises after the First World War and asks why it did not provoke the same levels of discontent in Britain as it did on the continent. He further questions why acceptance gave way to hostility at the end of this period. Daunton views taxes as the central driving force for equity or efficiency. As such he provides a detailed discussion of their potential in providing revenue for the state, and their use in shaping the social structure and influencing economic growth. Just Taxes places taxation in its proper place, at the centre of modern British history.

List of figures
List of tables
Preface
List of abbreviations
1. The taxing state: an introduction
2. 'The limits of our taxable capacity': war finance, 1914–1918
3. 'This hideous war memorial': debt and taxation, 1918–1925
4. 'Adjusting the particular turns of the different screws': reforming the income tax, 1920–1929
5. 'The great conflict of modern politics': redistribution, depression and appeasement, 1929–1939
6. 'The exigency of war': taxation and the Second World War, 1939–1945
7. 'The mortal blows of taxation': Labour and reconstruction, 1945–1951
8. 'A most injurious disincentive in our economic system': Conservatives and taxation, 1951–1964
9. 'Modern and dynamic economic policy': Labour and taxation, 1951–1970
10. Rethinking taxation policy: from an opportunity state to an enterprise society, 1964–1979
11. 'Highly defensible ramparts': the politics of local taxation
12. Conclusion
Appendix: chancellors of the Exchequer and prime ministers, 1908–1983
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Taxation [KFFD1], Economic history [KCZ], Political economy [KCP], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], British & Irish history [HBJD1]