The POLL TAX

What does the term "rent-a-mob" suggest about the way the media viewed the protest as a whole?

- suggests that protests weren't peaceful - suggests that the "mobs" were dangerous - Suggests that the demonstrators were dangerous and wild

What are the 4 hardest problems that the government faced during the poll tax?

-heavy handed policing (Trafalgar square riots) - government ant arrest 18 million non-payers - The people are protesters not criminals - APTU's were very organised and responsive

What tactics did the resisters of the poll tax use?

-produced leaflets about non-payment - put up handmade posters and spray painted walls. - made t-shirts, badges and mugs with anti-poll tax slogans.

Why was the APTU important?

ANTI POLL TAX UNIONS were important because they supported those not registering or not paying the tax. They made T-shirts, badges and mugs with anti-poll tax slogans. They supported the resistance and promoted the anti-poll tax unions.

How was this different to the rate systems used before?

Before people paid different amounts depending on how much your house was worth and who lived there.

Name 4 methods of resistance against the poll tax and what they were.

Non-registration = ignoring the fines. non-payment = organised groups would go together and defend all those that were taken to court. non-implementation = calling on councils to refuse to administer the tax. non-collection = asking all union members responsible for collection to refuse to do it.

What were peoples initial reaction to the poll tax?

People were annoyed and it was unfair (the violence came later)

Why was the new taxation system immediately unpopular?

Poor people couldn't afford the amount of money that they had to pay up. The wealthy people would be paying the same amount of tax as a poor person, they used to pay thousands but now they only had to pay a couple of hundred like the rest. "The Duke of Westminster paid the same tax as a house keeper"

What role could organisations play to support resistance?

They gave out information and supported those not registering or not paying the poll tax. This caused problems for the government because they couldn't arrest 18 million people. The more people involved, the more power and resistance they had against the government.

Why did the conservatives introduce this tax?

To make more money, they wanted a fresh start, they wanted to ease the tax burden on those that were more privileged.

What was the poll tax?

Was also known as the community tax. It was a taxation system in which everyone in the community paid the same rate of tax, your wealth or status didn't matter.

Were the resisters' tactics effective?

Yes, they gained more support, which meant it was harder for the government to control. They were simple but effective because they weren't violent but still gained support and made people aware of the APTU.