The Great Tax Wars details the messy, often acrimonious battle that led to the ratification of the 16th Amendment. It is an in-depth, sometimes overly so, analysis of the changing American political landscape after the turn of the 19th century refracted through the idea of taxation. Running from slightly before the Civil War through to the World War I, Weisman manages to capture the absurdly interesting minutiae of income tax Congressional sausage making. The arguments advanced by many of the senators, representatives, newspapermen and agitators in the book seem strikingly similar to their contentious contemporaries, a point which Weisman, through the judicious use of quotations, makes subtly clear. A thoroughly enjoyable read, even for someone with no previous interest in - or knowledge of - the economic and political details of taxation.

The focus on the personalities behind the protectionist and progressive movements helped cushion the sometimes overwhelming flow of data coming at the reader. By structuring the chapters not only chronologically but thematically, Weisman made it easy for a finance novice like me to follow the action. I found the structure of the chapters to be a godsend.

Weisman has a clear handle on his material and it shows. His sense of pace is almost impeccable, and he has a real ear for weaving the disparate voices of the progressive and conservative movements into a coherent whole.

Anyone who likes to refer to the halcyon political days of yore would do well to read this tale of back-room dealing, blatant corruption and flip-flopping. Considering the dry subject matter, The Great Tax Wars is a fascinating, engaging read. It is a fantastic example of educational entertainment - I came away feeling both enlightened and dismayed.

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Created Mar 19, 2010 at 10:16am • Submit your own review...