What is the overall affect that the Boston Tea Party has in todays society?

Answer 1

I think to an extent many people have forgotten the lessons we learned from the Boston Tea Party and have allowed oppresive taxes to take hold once again. Even still, the fire of the tax revolt has not died. In 1978, California passed Prop. 13, drastically reducing property taxes. Many voters continue to elect politicians that promise to reduce taxes, and organizations exist to fight for tax reform. Check out these links:
http://www.hjta.org
http://www.ntu.org
http://www.givemeliberty.org

Answer 2

~Given the "No taxation without representation" comments you're getting here, you ought to see the need to do your own homework. The Boston Tea Party, as an event in isolation, has no effect whatsoever in contemporary society. It was one minor event used as a propaganda tool by the treasonous rebels who constituted a vast minority of the colonists who wanted independence to foment rebellion (1/3 of the colonists remained loyal to the rightful government and 1/3 remained 'undecided' until the end of the war). That the propaganda worked means that its part in the war that it helped start remains significant today, not as an event but for the overall consequences of it and surrounding events.

As to the taxation issue, the taxes that had been put into place which resulted in the act of terrorism in Boston Harbor were actually lower than the taxes that had been in place previously. The difference was, after the British sent massive aid and military assistance to the colonies during the American phase of the Seven Years War (you probably know of that minor front of the war as 'The French and Indian War'), Great Britain was on the verge of near-total economic collapse and the folks in the motherland had the bizarre idea that the colonists who received the benefit should offset some of the cost. New, lower, taxes were put in place and, this time, the British (I hesitate to use that term because the colonists were British too) were collecting them. For decades the New England smugglers had been ignoring them and the Southern planters had been avoiding them by shipping and selling through the Mid-Atlantic merchants. The colonists, having reaped the benefit of the aid and no longer needing the protection of the troops from the French, had no inclination to pay any part of the cost.

As to representation, the colonists were as much represented in Parliament as were any other British subjects at the time. All Members of Parliament represented (and represent today) all Brits. Before one makes the 'no representation' claim, one should at least have some understanding of how Parliamentary representation worked at the time. While it is true that there was no MP from the colonies in either the House of Lords or the House of Commons, it is likewise true that no colony ever once requested or demanded the right to send a colonial representative to Parliament. The right of local representatives was never denied - it was never sought.

The lesson of the Boston Tea Party today is that if one distorts the truth and the facts, one can usually rely on the hoi poloi to listen without checking into the reality of one's ravings and get them to act according to one's wishes. Thus, Georgie the Younger was able to convince 98% of the American population in 2001 and 2003 that there was some justification to invade Afghanistan and Iraq, that the invasions were somehow not illegal under well settled precepts of international law, and that both were moral and in the interests of national security. If one distorts the facts enough and ignores the truth and the facts, then gets others to repeat the lies loud enough and long enough, people actually believe it and think it is true.

Answer 3

To make it short and simple, I have to say that the Boston Tea Party's effect is simply that...people have the right to protest over things they find unfair! Taxes are always going to be there, it actually keeps our society and economy in order. But the Boston Tea Party's main message was to really let people know that they have to stand up for what they believe is wrong.

Answer 4

Tyranny can not stand nor be allowed to over burden it's own people. Right or wrong, people from all walks of life at one time or another have been pushed to the brink while been generally hard working, law abiding citizens. A breaking point occurs now and again, and the overall affect of that incident of the dumping of coffee into Boston Harbor is that citizens will rise up if they feel they are being taken advantage of, and they should stand up for their rights if no one else will.

Answer 5

No taxation without representation. No taxes can be created first without being ratified and voted on my the now State legislature of each State.

their would be no USA today had their not been a Boston Tea Party possibly, it helped trigger the event that helped start the shot heard around the world.

Answer 6

Americans still prefer coffee to tea.

Answer 7

It keeps alive the idea that mob violence is an acceptable behavior. Economic vigilantism justified by myth. Might as well ennoble the Rodney King rioters.