Balazar

From: Andrew Barton <AndrewBarton_at_compuserve.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 12:56:41 -0500


> I think because of the smallness of the local moneyed economy, any
coins that the lunars spend end up in the lunar hands to be paid to the soldiers again.

In one of Alfred Duggan's books ('The Little Emperors', I think) the narrator is the chief tax official in Britain. His main task is, as soon as the legions have been paid, to work out ways of taxing all the money back from the locals in time for the next payday so that it can be paid out again.

At the end of the book the legions have gone home and he's in retirement at the court of a native chief. Occasionally he tries to explain to the chief just how he's worse off now the legions have gone, but has trouble thinking of any reasons.

Andrew


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