🏛️ Greetings, mighty Builders! 🏛️
Any ruler who wants to go down in history 📚 should get acquainted with the "Ruler's Manual" series! Why - you ask? Well, in the following entries we tell you about how to make your Polis wealthy, safe, and as prosperous as possible. And believe us, it's not as easy as it may seem!
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There comes a time in every citizen's life when he has to share some of his coins with those in power. As long as such a fee is fair and does not drain the pockets of a citizen, and his superiors provide him with appropriate living conditions, protection, and development opportunities, we can agree that it is a pretty well-functioning system 🤝 The problems begin when the ruler gets greedy and loses the balance between the amount of taxes and the mood of his subjects.
Today, we will learn how to keep this balance and make sure that no one in your city (including you!) feels disadvantaged. Off we go!
What are taxes and how do they work
The tax system is one of the oldest social contracts known in history. Landowners, kings, rulers, administrators, or simply the strongest warriors around periodically knock on the commoners' door and demand a fee 💰 In return, payers can work on their land, enjoy protection, and a judicial system.
Things are no different in your city. From time to time, another portion of taxes paid by your subjects will flow into your treasury. We are sure you will not be surprised when we say that coins (called Drahmas) are one of the most important resources you will have an occasion to manage. Without them, you won't be able to pay for the construction of new buildings, as each of them, in addition to typical building materials like wood and stone, naturally requires a portion of shiny Drahmas.
In addition to expanding the city with new buildings, money will come in handy when raising an army. Each unit under your command must be trained and then maintained, which of course comes at a cost. Such costs depend on the advancement and type of unit. A large army, while a guarantee of security, can purge your treasury of coins. On the other hand, an underfunded, small army may not be able to cope with a hostile invasion.
The cost of maintaining buildings works on a similar basis. Each workshop, theatre, farm, or service building you build has its own upkeep cost ⚒ Only when your money supply allows you to pay such a cost, will they work properly and unhindered.
Taxes and society
The interests of the ruler and his subjects are not always identical in this case ⚖ People prefer to pay lower taxes and keep more money for themselves, while the rulers would like to maximize their income and impose higher fees on society. Finding a balance between tax rates and social satisfaction is one of the biggest challenges you will face. Fortunately, the panel you will use while playing Builders of Greece allows you to quickly change the fees charged... however, it is their deep understanding that is most important here!
Let's start with the benefits of setting low taxes. Your subjects will certainly appreciate your generosity, which will positively affect their attitude toward your authority. In addition, low fees can encourage other local people to settle in your city 🏛 However, such a situation may result in a loss of financial liquidity, which may disrupt the entire production chain in your Polis and lead to the disintegration of the army. The lack of funds also means an inability to further develop the city.
Let's check what lies on the opposite side of this financial scale. What happens if you set high taxes? Well, your treasury will soon be filled to the brim with coins, and you won't have to worry about the state of your army and the fee for the functioning of buildings under your control. What you will have to worry about, however, is the satisfaction of your subjects, who may want to leave the city of such a greedy ruler or even cause riots! As you can see - the right balance is everything!
To make it easier for you to choose the right amount of taxes, you can use the following formula:
Total Income = Tax Income - Building Maintenance Cost - Army Maintenance Cost
How to maximize your taxes?
Fortunately, there are ways to increase tax revenue while maintaining good relationships with taxpayers! The most important one is to increase the population of your city. After all, everyone who lives in it must contribute to the budget 💵 To do this, you must make the Polis you manage attractive to new settlers and convince the current residents to stay in it for a longer time. Access to services, education, development, safety, varied goods, culture, or entertainment are just a few of the conditions that you must meet to achieve this. During the game, you will discover the nuances of efficient empire management - and if you prove to be a good student, you might be able to get hundreds of people to settle down in your city.
In addition to the number of your subjects, their social status is also important here. As you know, richer families are obligated to pay more taxes. Therefore, their smooth development should be added to the list of your tasks. If you provide your subjects with the right conditions for development, their social status will start to grow, and with it the stream of coins flowing to your treasury. The richest households of your empire can turn out to be a great source of income!
In the following parts of the series, we will return to you with descriptions of many other important mechanics and tips that will help you become the greatest ruler of all time! As always - stay tuned.
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