The book A Fool and His Money by Ann Wroe is set in Medieval town of Rodez, France. The town is interesting because it is a rare separated town with a border in the middle of the town and the town is enclosed by walls to defend itself. The setting is Medieval times and a background of the hundred years war between England and France. Looking at the location of Rodez in the south-west part of France closer to Toulouse and Marseille than Paris, you would not think the 100 years war would not affect the town – but to fight a war, the treasury of France needed taxes. In the 1300’s the English controlled the southern portion of France and Rodez was on a shifting border. Sometimes the taxes went to London, sometimes to Paris. The higher the demand of taxes, the greater the desire not to show you have any money to pay the taxes (or tax avoidance) is an issue. In Rodez, one of the merchants buried some money and forgot where he buried it. Some years later, while construction was being done on pipes, some pots of money were found? whose money is it? what taxes are owed? In the strange world of Rodez with a border in the middle, which side was the taxes owed. Similar to towns, there develops a side for administration and commerce and a side for the church and related activities. Sometimes it is good, sometimes there is conflict between the sides and the people who live on each side and the records of the state reflect the disagreements among people.

Linking to dividend producing stocks, throughout the Medieval times people still had to do things to produce income whether to pay the rent or the mortgage. Whether to produce goods and services to service the people in the community and sometimes beyond. In a gated community divided by a border in the middle, all the issues which divides and brings people together can be found. The town has continued being the life of the community and the issues still remain although they are now all French. Similar to the medieval times, if governments tax too much, people find alternatives and try to fall into a lower tax class.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.