> I'm sure that there are many many many ways that enterprising
> officers and NCOs pocket some of the pay (frex, pay is probably made
> under the assumption that a unit is at full strength - since most
> are understrength, the extra pay is pocketed by someone).
Padding the roster has a long and sordid past. Some regiments in the English Civil War really only existed only on paper.
> One thing I have been thinking about is the possibility that the
> Sartarite tribal tribute is underwritten by wealthy entrepreneurs
> (presumably affiliated with Etyries). They provide the Governor-
> General with a negotiated amount cash and actually collect the
> tribute - pocketing the difference. Then they turn around and sell
> the tribute (mostly cows, sheep, grain, furs, etc.) back to the
> soliders. That is the most lucrative trading operation in Dragon
> Pass and is almost completely in the hands of the Etyries cult!
It's called "Tax Farming" and also has a long and sordid past (In Glorantha as well as the real world). Basically, the Tax Farmer is appointed to a district, and guarantees that the appropriate amount of tax will be forthcoming - out of his own pocket if necessary. To ensure that the Farmer does *not* face out of pocket expenses, he is allowed to tax the people of the district at whatever rate he chooses. Smart tax farmers aren't excessively greedy (they *are* greedy, make no mistake, just not *excessively* greedy!) - they skim off a comfortable living but don't tax the peasants so much that they get rebellious (or die... death of your tax base is no excuse not to fill the Imperial Coffers!).
RR
It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has
done what he has done.
- Richelieu
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