Inspiration

In 1888, in Curaçao.

A bridge was built to connect two parts of the city. A toll was charged but officials wanted it to be a "progressive" tax. Rich people will pay more to cross.

So how could they identify rich and poor quickly?

They had an idea, rich people wear shoes (it's 1888 remember), so they decided to charge a tax based on that. If you cross the bridge wearing shoes you pay a tax, but if you are barefoot, you cross for free.

Simple

Easy

Difficult to avoid

Brilliant

But it failed.

Why?

The rich simply took off their shoes and crossed the bridge. (Tax Avoidance)

The poor? 

They did not want to be seen as poor, so they would wear shoes or borrow shoes to cross the bridge.

This, they say, is a true story

So what's are the lesson?

1. Poverty is loud, literally

2. Poverty is in the mind

4. The rich stay rich by not spending. The poor stay poor by spending

5. The rich most often than not will apply logic to a situation, they are analytical 

6. The rich always get better financial advice

7. Taxing the rich to help the poor is cute but complicated.

8. Poverty can be said to be a verb because your actions can propel you more, into a state of want, if you are not careful. Consequently, poverty is what you do.

Are you "borrowing shoes" to cross any "bridge?"

If you are, please stop.

Source: Whatsapp, then modified.