Taxes in US History: Myths and Realities

In her Academy project, Einhorn will set out to explain the origins of American taxes and the occasionally curious debates about them. In her work, she casts new light on historical episodes and uncovers unexpected stories about taxes. For example, she shows how supposed landmarks of anti-tax ideology in US history have actually been mislabeled reflections of other concerns—was, for example, the American Revolution a tax revolt? Grounded in state and local fiscal history, Einhorn’s approach to questions such as “Why was the income tax a red-state project?” is both provocative and promising. Her close attention to the sectional and racial divides in her earlier work will prompt a rethinking of the modern income tax. Her book will outline the transition from the income-tax populism of the early twentieth century to the anti-tax populism of this century.