第14部分(第5/7 頁)

ested　in　and　built　your　own　business；　you　are　now　ready　to　add　the　magic　touch…the　biggest　secret　of　the　rich。　The　secret　that　puts　the　rich　way　ahead　of　the　pack。　The　reward　at　the　end　of　the　road　for　diligently　taking　the　time　to　mind　your　own　business。

CHAPTER　FIVE

Lesson　Four：The　History　of　and　The　Power　of　Corporation

I　remember　in　school　being　told　the　story　of　Robin　Hood　and　his　Merry　Men。　My　schoolteacher　thought　it　was　a　wonderful　story　of　a　romantic　hero；　a　Kevin　Costner　type；　who　robbed　from　the　rich　and　gave　to　the　poor。　My　rich　dad　did　not　see　Robin　Hood　as　a　hero。　He　called　Robin　Hood　a　crook。

Robin　Hood　may　be　long　gone；　but　his　followers　live　on。　How　often　I　still　hear　people　say；　〃Why　don't　the　rich　pay　for　it？〃　Or　〃The　rich　should　pay　more　in　taxes　and　give　it　to　the　poor。〃

It　is　this　idea　of　Robin　Hood；　or　taking　from　the　rich　to　give　to　the　poor　that　has　caused　the　most　pain　for　the　poor　and　the　middle　class。　The　reason　the　middle　class　is　so　heavily　taxed　is　because　of　the　Robin　Hood　ideal。　The　real　reality　is　that　the　rich　are　not　taxed。　It's　the　middle　class　who　pays　for　the　poor；　especially　the　educated　upper…ine　middle　class。

Again；　to　understand　fully　how　things　happen；　we　need　to　look　at　the　historical　perspective。　We　need　to　look　at　the　history　of　taxes。　Although　my　highly　educated　dad　was　an　expert　on　the　history　of　education；　my　rich　dad　fashioned　himself　as　an　expert　on　the　history　of　taxes。

Rich　dad　explained　to　Mike　and　me　that　in　England　and　America　originally；　there　were　no　taxes。　Occasionally　there　were　temporary　taxes　levied　in　order　to　pay　for　wars。　The　king　or　the　president　would　put　the　word　out　and　ask　everyone　to　〃chip　in。〃　Taxes　were　levied　in　Britain　for　the　fight　against　Napole