Salt Tax France
About Salt Tax France
The gabelle, or French salt tax, was one of the most hated taxes in history. Instituted in 1341, the gabelle required French subjects to buy a minimum amount of salt at a government fixed price. The tax was regressive, falling heavily on the poor. Different regions of France had different salt tax regimes, creating resentment. Salt smuggling became a major criminal industry. The gabelle was one of the grievances listed in the cahiers de doleances submitted to the Estates General in 1789. The French Revolution abolished the gabelle in 1790, but Napoleon restored it in 1806. The salt tax was not finally abolished in France until 1945.
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