The term “Poll Tax” has two meanings: a fixed tax levied on every citizen to raise money for the government, and a fee required to vote in the US. The first sense has a long history of opposition, while the second was designed to disenfranchise low-income and black voters. The 24th Amendment abolished the poll tax in 1964, but other measures have been used to intimidate minority voters in the US.
The term “Poll Tax” is used in two senses. In most parts of the world, it is a fixed tax levied on every citizen of a region for the purpose of raising money for the government. In the United States, the term is used specifically to refer to an amount of money that people were required to pay in order to go to the polls to vote. Both refer to “survey” as in “to count,” a word derived from “survey” in the sense of “human head.” The tax in the second sense was abolished in 1964 with the 24th amendment to the US Constitution.
The history of the poll tax in the first sense is ancient, as is the history of opposition to it. These taxes were used in many European nations and European colonies (including America) to raise funds to pay for government programs. Sometimes, citizens fought back, as in the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 in England, which was triggered by such a tax. An attempt to reinstate the poll tax in 1990 in Britain also led to unrest.
Proponents of this tax argue that it ensures that everyone bears the same tax burden, while lower taxes provide a disincentive to make more money. Opponents point out that these fees place an unreasonable burden on low-income individuals, because they cannot afford the fixed fee as easily as wealthy people. Many nations use an income-based tax system, rather than a poll tax, reflecting the idea that people should pay according to their ability, rather than being obligated to pay a fixed amount.
In the second sense, the poll tax was deliberately designed to disenfranchise low-income voters in the United States, especially black voters. Upon arrival at the polls, voters would be required to pay a fee to receive their votes, and if they could not afford the fee, they would be rejected. Many people objected to this, arguing that it violated the fundamental principle of equality that should have been the cornerstone of American life.
In 1964, Congress accepted and passed the 24th Amendment to abolish the poll tax, allowing many people to cast their ballots for the first time. However, other measures have been used to intimidate or pressure minority voters in the United States.
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