Direct Taxes Imposed by the United States

Taxation is one of the most important subjects in the field of economics due to the fiscal nee ds of the national, state and local governments.In the preparation of this study an endeavor has been made to treat the subject chronologically and historically. As the various forms of taxation developed with the growth of the country, legal, economic and political changes naturally come into the picture. The decisions of the Supreme Court of the Wilted States are vital to our study for we rely upon them for an interpretation of the various tax laws.it may appear to some that in view of the sixteenth amendment to the Constitution the question of direct and indirect taxation is only a matter of historical and academic interest. This is not correct as the question arises in Congress and in the state legislatures nearly every year, in view of the country's economic and fiscal condition and the necessity of providing either employment or food and clothing for many of our citizens, it is reasonable to suppose that the question will be seriously discussed and considered by our lawmakers for many years to come. When a tax is proposed, the question will be: Who is going to bear the burden? In view of these facts, an endeavor will be made to show that there is a practical distinction between direct and indirect taxes and that this distinction is an evident and realized fact whether the levies are made directly or indirectly.