Trusting Leviathan: The Politics of Taxation in Britain, 1790-1914

by Martin Daunton

Professor Martin Daunton's major work of original synthesis explores the politics of taxation in the "long" nineteenth century. In 1799, income tax stood at 20% of national income; by the outbreak of the First World War, it was 10%. This equitable exercise in fiscal containment lent the government a high level of legitimacy, allowing it to fund war and welfare in the twentieth century. Combining new research with a comprehensive survey of existing knowledge, this book examines the complex financial relationship between the State and its citizens.

456 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Martin James Daunton is Professor of Economic History at the University of Cambridge.

Reviews

[Kyle Macleod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started of quite slow however the sections on Disraeli, Peel and Gladstone were very interesting. I also enjoyed the final chapter on the beginning of the 20th century and the reform to the income tax.