Ancient Greece

Greece, initially organized as multiple states in a rugged and dispersed territory, will see the emergence, because it will need it, of a basic public treasury.

In the era of hereditary monarchies, there was a powerful nobility, because it owned the land. And only those who contributed their own assets to certain public or social expenses could be citizens. Whether or not one had political rights depended, for example, on being able to keep a war horse.

The current expenses of the State were covered by the proceeds of the royal patrimony and only in extraordinary occasions were contributions used.

The Greeks had trade in their blood, perhaps not as much as the Phoenicians, but, in any case, they liked to exchange what they had in excess for what they lacked. And these exchanges between the different Greek cities provided a healthy source of income: the customs .

Property ownership, especially land ownership, has always experienced upheavals. The Greek landed nobles were not going to be less. Archon Solon, with his profound social reforms, reduced their dominical powers, abolished debt slavery, promoted small property ownership, and created equitable and fair taxes. But unfortunately, these measures had no lasting effects.

Little by little, Greek citizens began to feel that the income from the Crown's assets was not enough to cover all their collective expenses. And they wanted the utmost splendor for their religious worship, the best music for their festivals, and cleanliness and beautification for their streets and agoras. It became necessary to resort to , that is, those that tax family expenses and consumption. The relationship between public income and expenditure appeared for the first time in human history.