What Is Taxation Without Representation?
The phrase taxation without representation describes a populace that is required to pay taxes to a government authority without having any say in that government's policies. The term has its origin in a slogan of the American colonials against their British rulers: "Taxation without representation is tyranny."
Key Takeaways
- Taxation without representation was possibly the first slogan adopted by American colonists chafing under British rule.
- They objected to the imposition of taxes on colonists by a government that gave them no role in its policies.
- In the 21st century, residents of the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens who endure taxation without federal representation.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tax_without_representation.asp_Final-0d1cea03b29d4d88bd57e5bd002467d3.jpg "Taxation Without Representation: What It Means and History (1)")
History of Taxation Without Representation
Although taxation without representation has been perpetrated in many cultures, the phrase came to the common lexicon during the 1700s in the American colonies. Opposition to taxation without representation was one of the primary causes of the American Revolution.
The Stamp Act Triggers Colonists
The British Parliament began taxing its American colonists directly in the 1760s, ostensibly to recoup losses incurred during the Seven Years’ War of 1754 to 1763.
One particularly despised tax, imposed by the Stamp Act of 1765, required colonial printers to pay a tax on documents used or created in the colonies and to prove it by affixing an embossed revenue stamp to the documents.
Violators were tried in vice-admiralty courts without a jury. The denial of a trial by peers was a second injury in the minds of colonists, compounding the problem of taxation without governmental representation.
Revolt Against the Stamp Act
Colonists considered the tax to be illegal because they had no representation in the Parliament that passed it and were denied the right to a trial by a jury of their peers. Delegates from nine of the 13 colonies met in New York in October 1765 to form the Stamp Act Congress.
William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut, John Dickinson of Pennsylvania, John Rutledge of South Carolina, and other prominent colonials met for 18 days. They then approved a "Declaration of the Rights and Grievances of the Colonists," stating the delegates’ joint position for other colonists to read. Resolutions three, four, and five stressed the delegates’ loyalty to the crown while stating their objection to taxation without representation.
A later resolution disputed the use of admiralty courts that conducted trials without juries, citing a violation of the rights of all free Englishmen. The Congress eventually drafted three petitions addressed to King George III, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons.
After the Stamp Act
The petitions were initially ignored, but boycotts of British imports and other financial pressures by the colonists finally led to the repeal of the Stamp Act in March 1766. In spite of the repeal, and after years of increasing tensions, the American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, with battles between American colonists and British soldiers in Lexington and Concord.
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution to Congress declaring the 13 colonies free from British rule. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were among the representatives chosen to word the resolution that declared the colonists' intent to dissolve ties with Britain and become self-governing. Taxation without representation has since been considered one of the instigating grievances of the American Revolution.
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, with the signing occurring primarily on Aug. 2, 1776.
Modern Examples of Taxation Without Representation
Taxation without representation in the United States did not end with the separation of the American colonies from Britain. There are still parts of the U.S. that pay taxes without receiving representation in the federal government.
Residents of Puerto Rico, for example, are U.S. citizens but do not have the right to vote in presidential elections. They also have no voting representatives in the U.S. Congress unless they move to one of the 50 states.
Residents of Washington, D.C., pay federal taxes despite having no voting representation in Congress. Beginning in the year 2000, the phrase "Taxation Without Representation" appeared on license plates issued by the District of Columbia to increase awareness of this disparity. In 2017, the District's City Council changed the slogan to "End Taxation Without Representation."
Which Tax Triggered the Rebellion Against Great Britain?
The Stamp Act of 1765 angered many colonists as it taxed every paper document used in the colonies. It was the first tax that the crown had demanded specifically from American colonists. However, there were many causes of the American Revolution in addition to anger over the Stamp Act.
Did Taxation Without Representation End After the American Revolution?
After the American Revolution, taxation without representation ended in some areas of the United States. While residents of the 50 states can elect representatives to the federal government, federal districts like Washington, D.C., and territories like Puerto Rico still lack the same representation on the federal level.
Does Taxation Without Representation Refer to Local or Federal Government?
Today, the phrase refers to a lack of representation at the federal level. As an example, Puerto Rico has the same structure as a state, with mayors of cities and a governor. Puerto Ricans are United States citizens. But instead of senators or representatives in Congress, they have a resident commissioner that represents the people in Washington, D.C., and Puerto Ricans can only vote for president if they establish residency in the 50 states.
The Bottom Line
"Taxation without representation" refers to those taxes imposed on a population who doesn't have representation in the government. The slogan "No taxation without representation" was first adopted during the American Revolution by American colonists under British rule.
Today, the phrase refers to a lack of representation at the federal level. Residents of Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are still taxed without representation.
