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THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
in the first class has been steadily diminishing for ten years past and the relative number of people in the third class has correspondingly been on the increase. The following table shows, for a period of eleven years, the manner in which the number of voters in the first class has steadily diminished, while
TABLE OF THE MUNICIPAL VOTERS REGISTERED IN BERLIN IN THE YEARS 1889 TO J899, AND OF THE DIVISION INTO CLASSES.
NUMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL VOTERS IN
DIVISION LIMITS.
Year.
Div. I
Div. II
Total tax sum,
Div. I.
Div. II.
Div. III.
Total.
down to
down to
M. and Pf.
M. and Pf.
M. and Pf.
1889
3,540
17,336
203,119
223,995
1,631.60
363.20
38,494,277.10
1890
3,778
17,727
236,185
257,690
1,631.60
363.20
38,494,277.10
1891
3-571
17,885
249,563
271,019
1,749.60
376.80
41,905,670.29
1892'
2,226
16,846
256,964
276,036
2,663.80
429.80
44,344,4I4-59
1893
2,045
13,049
274,048
289,142
2,956.80
597-90
44,455,616.92
1894
2,082
12,086
274,151
288,319
3,152.40
682.20
48,270,023.45
I8 9 5 8
1,486
9,867
288,638
299,991
3,891.20
781.66
43,761,979.66
1896
1,336
9,027
295,960
306,323
4,348.00
833-72
45.320,728.23
1897
1,289
8,929
303,313
313,531
4,851.00
869.20
47,890,294.62
1898
1,216
8,865
298,611
308,692
5,067.80
892.60
48,580,728.13
I899 3
691
7,740
308,517
316,948
8,333-80
1,095.40
56,057,800.93
the amount of taxes paid in order to obtain admission to the first class has steadily risen. Thus, in the year 1890 the number of persons entitled to vote in the first class was 3,778. It diminished regularly down to 691 in the year 1899. The number of voters in the second class in the year 1890 was 17,727, which diminished to less than half in the year 1899. The amount of taxes enabling one to be classed in the first class in the year 1890 was 1,631.60. In the year 1899 it was more than five times as much.
It may be said that such a condition of affairs is too much even for the very conservative sentiment of the Prussian public. It is felt that some kind of change must be made very soon, as this is too plainly and apparently a favoring of the extremely wealthy class.
'Made after the law of June 24, 1891.
After abolition of the tax on rent, and introduction of the property and munici- pal house and land tax.
'After inserting the tax rates of the fictitious persons to the amount of 5,047,600 marks.