325 Years Ago, Tsar Peter I Imposed Beard Tax on Russians

September 5, 2023: In the late 1600s and early 1700s, Tsar Peter I of Russia passed several reforms in an attempt to westernize the Russian empire. Among these reforms was a tax levied against any man who did not shave his beard.

Men in the government, men in the military, and most townsfolk were charged 60 rubles per year to keep their beards (silver weight conversion into modern U.S. dollars places that amount between $41,230 and $75,130 per year).Rich merchants were charged 100 rubles per year if they did not shave (between $68,720 and $125,180 modern U.S. dollars) and residents of Moscow were taxed 30 rubles per year (between $20,620 and $37,570 modern U.S. dollars).

The tax was largely unsuccessful in raising money for the government— mostly because people were much more keen on shaving than on losing such large sums of money. In the earlier years of the tax being implemented, the government collected an average of 3,588 rubles each year (between $2,466,350 and $4,492,460 USD).

The tax was in place for 74 years— until 1772— when Catherine the Great repealed it.

Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left nearly a decade ago and has had no involvement since that time.