• Submit A Nut
KnowledgeNuts
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
KnowledgeNuts
No Result
View All Result
Home Facts

When The US Forced Donald Into Drumming Up Taxes

When The US Forced Donald Into Drumming Up Taxes
197
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
“Taxes! Taxes for ships, battleships, battle cruisers, destroyers—all kinds of battle wagons.” —The New Spirit (1942)

In A Nutshell

The Spirit of 43 was a propaganda film Walt Disney made for the US government to persuade Americans to pay income taxes. The film was a phenomenal success and greatly increased the number of Americans willing to pay income taxes to this day. The Congress, however, refused to pay for production of the film.

The Whole Bushel

Related articles

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

September 25, 2023
From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

September 14, 2023

These days we think of corporations and the US government as being so intertwined that it’s a cliche to say that politicians are practically owned by business interests. So this story illustrates especially well just how much times have changed. In the era of conglomerates getting more welfare and tax cuts than the lower classes, who would have thought the government would stiff a famous business behemoth like Walt Disney?

In 1942, the income tax was still a relatively new idea and many households didn’t pay it until a 1942 “Victory Tax” added most of the rest of the population to the bracket. To help fund America’s recent entry into World War II, the US Treasury Department appealed to Walt Disney to create a propaganda film to persuade people it was right to sacrifice a portion of their incomes for “our fighting men.” The resulting short starred Donald Duck and was entitled The New Spirit.

ADVERTISEMENT

The film is about Donald receiving his paycheck and groaning at the prospect of giving $13 of his $2,500 paycheck to the tax man (a rate of 0.0052 percent—sounds rough!). He is visited by a spectral elderly duck who changes his mind and gives him enough enthusiasm that Donald proclaims “Taxes beat the Axis!” (With his Scottish accent, whiskers, and age, some have claimed that this character is the first appearance of tycoon character Scrooge McDuck.)

Despite its heavy-handed treatment of a subject that usually wouldn’t be considered very cinematic (how many times have you been entertained watching someone fill out their tax returns?) the short was praised by such publications as the New York Times and received an academy award nomination. It was such a massive hit that a Gallup poll indicated that 37 percent of the 26 million people who saw it were persuaded to pay their taxes. That meant millions of dollars for the war effort drummed up by Disney.

Disney then sent the Treasury Department a bill for about half of the movie’s production costs. A larger amount of money had been lost due to the film using up many of the movie bookings that otherwise would have gone to paid screenings. When the Treasury Department asked Congress to appropriate that money, the result was public outrage. “Not one buck for Donald Duck!” as one congressman put it. Disney was flooded with negative mail for apparently not being quite generous enough in his service to his country.

Article Continued Below

So, having insulted his efforts and turned the public against him for a time, the next year the Treasury Department had the nerve to request another movie from Disney promoting income taxes again. Disney acquiesced and a second short was made called The Spirit of 43. The series went a long way toward normalizing the idea of the public paying income taxes and was financed by a bit of forced donation.

Show Me The Proof

Donald Duck: The New Spirit
Donald Duck: The Spirit of ’43
Larry’s Toon Institute: Donald Duck Pays His Taxes
Baseball Goes to War, by William B. Mead
LIFE: February 16, 1942

Post Views: 850
Share79Tweet49
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

by Knowledge Nuts
September 25, 2023
0

  Are you tired of high banking fees and hidden charges? Public banks, government-owned institutions focusing on community benefit over...

From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

  Managing money can be a daunting task, regardless of who you are. Did you know that there is often...

Student Financial Aid Beyond Loans

Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

Finding affordable student housing can be a daunting task for many. The "Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook" is here to...

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

by Knowledge Nuts
September 8, 2023
0

Mortgage payments can feel like a burden that lasts forever. Did you know however, that it's possible to pay down...

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

by Knowledge Nuts
August 10, 2023
0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1266t2ee7CY Heading to college is exciting, but figuring out how to fund it can be overwhelming. With "NavigatingFinancial Aid: Your...

Load More
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

20 Unique Ways to Make Money Today

Discount Shopping Destinations to Best Online Stores Revealed

September 28, 2023
401(k) Contributions: How They Work Wonders on Your Taxes

401(k) Contributions: How They Work Wonders on Your Taxes

September 27, 2023
From Spare Room to Side Income: MakeMoney by Renting

From Spare Room to Side Income: MakeMoney by Renting

September 27, 2023

KnowledgeNuts.com: Your go-to source for insightful information and financial guidance. Explore, learn, and empower your future with us.

Categories
  • Artist
  • Artwork
  • Attitude
  • Bizarre
  • Business
  • Creative Insight
  • Design
  • Differences
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Forgotten
  • Forgotten Horrors
  • Innovation
  • Inspiration
  • Learning
  • Listicles
  • Market
  • Misconceptions
  • Other
  • Personal Finance Tips
  • Places
  • Thinking
  • Uncategorized
Tags
aid bad credit Business car insurance cash flow credit debt difference disability Education family Finance finances Financial Aid Financial freedom food government assistance Health healthcare help history home home loans housing how to make money how to save insurance Invest jobs loan loans make money Misconceptions Money myths personal finance plan quick cash saving money savings side hustle side hustles student student aid taxes
Lost your password?
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Mobile Privacy Policy
  • Mobile Terms & Conditions
  • SMS Opt-in

© KnowledgeNuts.com – A Division of Media Comms Networking.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Finance
  • Bizarre

© 2023 KnowledgeNuts.com