--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A historian who studied Boston tax lists…" description: "\"“A historian who studied Boston tax lists in 1687 and 1771 found that in 1687 there were, out of a population of six thousand, about one thousand prope..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/howard-zinn-576_history_a-historian-who-studied-boston-tax-lists_2283053.jpg" --- # A historian who studied Boston tax lists in 1687 and 1771… ![“A historian who studied Boston tax lists in 1687 and 1771 found that in 1687 there were, out of a population of six thousand, about one thousand property owners, and that the top 5 percent—1 percent of the population—consisted of fifty rich individuals who had 25 percent of the wealth. By 1770…” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/howard-zinn-576_history_a-historian-who-studied-boston-tax-lists_2283053.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/howard-zinn-576_history_a-historian-who-studied-boston-tax-lists_2283053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/howard-zinn-576_history_a-historian-who-studied-boston-tax-lists_2283053.jpg) > ““A historian who studied Boston tax lists in 1687 and 1771 found that in 1687 there were, out of a population of six thousand, about one thousand property owners, and that the top 5 percent—1 percent of the population—consisted of fifty rich individuals who had 25 percent of the wealth. By 1770, the top 1 percent of property owners owned 44 percent of the wealth.”” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The data shows a rapid increase in wealth concentration among a tiny elite over a century. **In simple terms:** Wealth became more concentrated over time. Key Takeaway Recognize and address growing inequality. Themes inequality wealth concentration history economics social justice Mood analytical concerned Type historical informative When to use this quote - policy debates - tax reform - education about - urban planning - social activism Key Concepts Capital accumulation elite dominance economic stratification Questions to Reflect On - How does historical wealth concentration inform today’s policies? - What mechanisms drive such rapid shifts? A Different Perspective The quote reflects a specific historical context and may not capture all factors influencing modern inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ## Related quotes > [“Critique of the 1 percent’s domination predates, it should be recalled, the “Occupy” movement’s popularizing of the notion. In fact, Martin Luther King, Jr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lewis-taylor/critique-of-the-1-percent-s-domination-predates-it-should-be-recalled/) [Mark Lewis Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lewis-taylor/) > [The village had a mill near it, situated on the little creek, which made very good flour. 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