Reason.com
The Forgotten Tax Rebels of the Great Depression
Writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, University of Alabama historian David Beito profiles the forgotten tax rebels of the Great Depression:
Many historians depict the Great Depression as a turning point when bitter economic realities finally led the middle class to break from laissez-faire tradition and demand bigger government. This is not entirely untrue, but it's only part of what happened.
In its initial phase, the Depression also spawned a powerful movement for smaller government that included tax revolts. These revolts were not only more widespread but often more extreme than any sponsored by the tea party....
While most tax leaguers emphasized conventional legal approaches, a few pressed more radical measures. The best known was the Association of Real Estate Taxpayers in Chicago, which led one of the largest tax strikes in American history. At its height in 1933, it had 30,000 paid members, a budget of $600,000, and a weekly radio show. The strikers so angered Mayor Anton Cermak in 1932 that he threatened to cut off their city water. During a special visit to Washington, D.C., Cermak implored Congress to send "money now or militia later." It did neither.
Most Popular Stories
- Here Are the 15 Senators Who Voted to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers (Not One of Them is a Democrat) (5.24)
- When Government Privileges Trump the Rights of Citizens (5.25)
- Is the Ron Paul the Best Hope for Progressives? (5.25)
- Rand Paul Amendment to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Raiding Farms Fails, 78-15 (5.24)
- Friday Funnies (5.25)
Reason RUPE: Public Opinion Survey
- Reason-Rupe: Wisconsinites Favor Increasing Public Union Retirement Contributions to Address Budget Deficit (5.25)
- Reason-Rupe Poll Finds Support for Public Union Reforms (5.25)
- New Poll: Obama Leads Romney In Wisconsin, But Gary Johnson Could Impact the Race (5.24)
- Wisconsin Recall: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42 Among Likely Voters (5.24)
- Reason-Rupe Poll: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42, Obama Leads Romney 46-36 (5.24)
advertisements
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsSite comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment or disable your ability to comment for any reason at any time.
|4.15.11 @ 10:25AM|#
And then there's Sen. Dick Lugar's father, who refused to accept Roosevelt dimes because he hated New Deal farm policy.
Old Mexican|4.15.11 @ 11:11AM|#
I am sure that it was made of very mean and radical old ladies and farmers, and not mellow and polite university students and union members...
Rev. Jesse Jackson|4.15.11 @ 11:56AM|#
While most tax leaguers emphasized conventional legal approaches, a few pressed more radical measures. The best known was the Association of Real Estate Taxpayers in Chicago
Racist!
. The strikers so angered Mayor Anton Cermak in 1932 that he threatened to cut off their city water. During a special visit to Washington, D.C., Cermak implored Congress to send "money now or militia later."
Jim Crowites!
Hey, you! You there with the pretty mouth. Come here and suck my dick!
|4.15.11 @ 12:18PM|#
I see that you have heard about the complaint filed by the Rev's former underling.
|4.15.11 @ 7:32PM|#
First time i've been proud of chicago activists.
http://www.intellectualtakeout.....ession-101
|4.16.11 @ 6:59AM|#
Antonín Čermák a Czech fascist with a socialist heart.