Join us for the screening of Xavier’s Villetard’s documentary Can't Pay, Won't Pay! and following this a question and answer session with Natacha Postel-Vinay and Geoff Tily.

Without taxation there is no government. Taxation is essential, but who is to pay, and for what? For centuries people have fought over these questions, and these fights have been at the heart of the development and crises of democracy, from Magna Carta through the French Revolution to the Global Financial Crisis and the Pandemic. Bringing together internationally renowned academic experts and policymakers, this documentary retraces this fascination history across France, Britain and Germany from as far as the Middle Ages up to the present day.

Meet our speaker and chair

Geoff Tily (@geofftily) joined the TUC as Senior Economist in August 2014. This follows 25 years as a member of the government statistical and then economic services, most recently as a macroeconomic adviser in HM Treasury. 

Natacha Postel-Vinay (@natachapv) is an economic and financial historian, whose research explores international finance, money and banking from a historical perspective.

More about this event

This event forms part of LSE’s Understanding the UK Economy series, showcasing research and expertise on the state of the UK economy and its future.

The Department of Economic History (@LSEEcHist) is one of the world's leading centres for research and teaching in economic history. It is home to a huge breadth and depth of knowledge and expertise ranging from the medieval period to the current century.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEUKEconomy

Podcast & Video

A podcast of this event is available to download from Can't Pay, Won't Pay! A Popular History of Taxes. 

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.