> I can well imagine this is Fazzur's response to Starbrow's
Rebellion,
> an unsustainable tax to punish the rebels and bring them into line.
> However in 1613 he knows how much tax they have paid in the past
and
> probably has a pretty good idea of what can be afforded.
He's also a Tarshite and has a better idea about how things work in the hills of Dragon Pass.
> In the context of taxation during the occupation as a whole we're
> starting in 1602 where the Lunars have no idea what the tribes and
> clans can afford. They will probably import the system used in
Tarsh
> and make assessments based on what they can find out quickly.
I disagree somewhat. Once the Emperor and his coterie leave Sartar and return to the Heartlands, Euglyptus and his retainers are left in charge of Sartar (given the immediate presence of the Emperor - or at least his proxy, I think that Euglyptus was appointed by the Emperor and not the Provincial Overseer). Euglyptus needs somewhere around 20,000 lunars a year to maintain the Army of Occupation in Sartar. He can probably get about 5,000 to 10,000 lunars a year from the Empire - the rest he needs to collect locally. He decides to impose a tax of between 20,000 and 25,000 lunars a year on the tribes and pocket the difference.
As a good Dara Happan, Euglyptus simply determines how much he needs (with a target surplus of about 8,000 lunars to 15,000 lunars a year - a pittance, but at least it compensates him for his time) and makes his decree.
>There
> may be some tribes which are truthful in what they tell the
>assessors
> but I'm sure the majority aren't.
No assessment of property is needed. This isn't a rate based "tax", this is an annual fee imposed on the tribes to subsidize the Lunar Occupation.
>Then over the next decade they'll
> get better and better knowledge and actual taxes paid will rise as
> they find something that they weren't told about. Certainly the
more
> in favour a clan or tribe is with the Lunars the less that'll
happen
> and the more concessions will be granted but overall the tax take
> will rise.
I think this is a Fazzur development. I think the good general has a better idea how to squeeze the Orlanthi of Sartar to further Tarshite (and his own) ambitions.
> The same thing happens after 1613 although there will be an initial
> fall in taxes on those tribes which co-operate. So the 12,500
lunars
> demanded from the Colymar in 1613 will be about thrice what they
> were paying in 1612 and assuming suitable co-operation will fall
back
> to 5-6,000 by 1615. It will then start to climb again, probably by
> just a few hundred each year and those increases will be felt by
all
> tribes.
Fully agree here.
Jeff
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