Lexington Books
Pages: 256
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-4985-5380-3 • Hardback • May 2017 • $136.00 • (£105.00)
978-1-4985-5381-0 • eBook • May 2017 • $129.00 • (£99.00)
Carl-Henry Geschwind holds a PhD in the history of science from Johns Hopkins University.
Chapter 1: The Beginnings of the Gasoline Tax, 1909–1929
Chapter 2: Responding to Depression and the War, 1929–1949
Chapter 3: Boom Years, 1949–1969
Chapter 4: Oil Shocks and Economic Stagnation, 1969–1989
Chapter 5: The Age of Global Warming, 1989–2009
Geschwind’s book is an excellent contribution to a now well-developed literature that examines automotive history through transnational comparisons. . . . But he is careful not to claim too much, noting the need for further studies of motor fuels taxation in a number of nations that would pose interesting case studies. When other historians undertake those other studies, this solid book will be an essential first comparison.
— Journal of American History
For those interested in the history of fuel taxation, its origins, economic impacts and subsequent interpretation in a world concerned about carbon emissions, Geschwind has provided a narrative of exacting detail that thoroughly addresses the forces behind Europe’s higher tax regime. The text is extensively and meticulously footnoted, making it a valuable resource for those interested in furthering the study of fuel use and taxation.
— Eh.Net: The Economic History Network
If you want to understand the politics of climate change in our time, you need to understand the politics of fiscal crisis in the twentieth century. Carl-Henry Geschwind’s masterful comparative history shows how decisions made long ago still constrain our ability to tax gasoline. This is an important and urgently-needed book.
— Isaac William Martin, University of California, San Diego
Anyone who cares about the environment must wonder why gasoline taxes are so much lower in the United States than in other countries, and anyone trying to answer that question must eventually read this book. Carl-Henry Geschwind's extraordinary comparative historical analysis does more than answer the question—it also suggests possibilities for change, and where and exactly why to expect resistance. It is a remarkable demonstration of how historically oriented social science can shed light on the problems of our present and the possibilities for our future.
— Monica Prasad, Northwestern University
This book is one of the very best comparative studies we have on the international history of taxation. Carl-Henry Geschwind brilliantly uses the history of gasoline taxation to reflect on fundamental issues of political economy. Consequently, the book is certain to stimulate a new wave of scholarship on the comparative history of consumption taxation. The book should become required reading for all scholars and policymakers interested in the political and economic interaction of consumption and income taxation.
— W. Elliot Brownlee, University of California, Santa Barbara
In this study, Carl-Henry Geschwind provides a convincing and much-needed historical analysis of gasoline taxes around the world. Exhaustively researched and compellingly argued, Geschwind’s book challenges conventional wisdom about why American gas taxes are so low relative to those in other countries. Anyone interested in transportation, environmental, or fiscal policy should read this book.
— Molly Michelmore, Washington and Lee University