Can A Poll Tax Ever Be Acceptable? - Evidence from Colonial New Zealand

Abstract

Poll taxes, while simple in concept, have a regressive effect and unsurprisingly are usually unpopular for this reason which is why they are not commonly used today. Poll taxes were imposed in 19th century New Zealand, with one of the earliest being a form of poll tax imposed by the Nelson Province in 1856 to fund public education. Despite the inherent shortcomings of a poll tax, the Nelson education tax was eventually accepted and defended by the community and produced revenue to fund public education. This paper examines the history of the Nelson poll tax to determine why it was successful when elsewhere, both in earlier and later times, poll taxes have been the focus of considerable dissent which has eventually lead to their demise. Among other reasons, the poll tax revenue being ear-marked for a specific purpose that was perceived by the wider community as important was a major factor in the success of the tax.