英国政府将于今年四月一日开征选举税,凡年满十八岁者,即合乎选举年龄的成年人,均须课税,因此亦称为人头税。选举税将取代物业税,所得用来支付地方服务开支。这项税收最富争论性的地方,是它令为数约二千万过去从未交税的人,首次需要纳税,但本来已是纳税人的,其税务负担不但没有减轻,反而还加重了。因此,选举税在英国各地中下阶层惹来广泛的不满。在三月上旬中,各地都有暴力示威发生,许多商店遭抢掠,多人被捕,不少警员在冲突中受伤。 The British government will introduce an election tax on April 1 this year. Everyone over the age of 18, that is, an adult of an election age, will be taxed and therefore also known as the poll tax. Election tax will replace the property tax, the proceeds used to pay for local service expenses. The most controversial part about this tax is that it has, for the first time, paid taxes for some 20 million people who have never paid taxes before. However, it has already become a taxpayer and its tax burden has not only been lightened but also heightened. Therefore, the election tax has aroused widespread dissatisfaction in the lower middle class across Britain. In early March, violent demonstrations took place everywhere. Many shops were looted and many were arrested. Many police officers were injured in the clashes.