A closer look

If you've ever wondered how to forcefully drag self-sustaining farmers into the glorious capitalist machine, the British Empire has a deeply cynical blueprint. By implementing 'hut taxes' on African populations, colonial administrators demanded payment in European currency—which locals obviously didn't have. The only way to get the cash to pay the tax to keep your own house was to go work in a British-owned mine or plantation. Institutionalized extortion at its finest.