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Mises Economics Blog

Sankskrit for "taxes": "Extortion

May 12, 2004 7:42 AM by Sudha Shenoy | Other posts by Sudha Shenoy | Comments (3)

I've just come across the word coined for the first taxes imposed in early North India c.400 BC. They were known as 'bali' [rhymes with 'gully']. 'Bala' means 'strength'; so 'bali' is 'acquired by (superior)strength' - ie,extortion.

Comments (3)

  • B, Popadyk

  • Did this word migrate east to reach us in the movie South Pacific in the song "Bali hai"?

  • Published: May 12, 2004 9:34 AM

  • Sudha Shenoy

  • No I'm afraid not. Bali has a long 'a'; 'bali' a short one. Also 'bali' is derived from 'bala', 'strength', as mentioned.This word is Sanskrit; I'm not sure that Bali (the island) has a sanskrit name (though the Balinese are the only non-Indian Hindus, by descent, in the world.)

    Sudha R. Shenoy

  • Published: May 12, 2004 12:04 PM

  • John W. Payne

  • This reminds me of something a professor of mine said in an early South Asia history class. A student asked him about the political structure a certain polity, to which he responded, "At this time, political power was merely a matter of getting fifty men with axes together."

  • Published: May 12, 2004 5:40 PM

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