I will admit that I cannot recall at precisely what time the tax system was first changed away from communism to something more region-based, but I believe that it was around the same time that the IRs were first enumerated.
Nah. IRs were in the game when I joined in Feb 2006. According to the wiki, IRs started some time in early 2005. The class IR was in the game in mid-2005. The tax system changed when estates were implemented, probably some time in 2007.
And no, the tax changes had nothing to do with the IRs. There were a lot of reasons involved, but the IRs weren't any of them.
If the bonus is given through a specific action on your part, then withdrawing it merely requires you not to act. You not giving a bonus is not the same as you giving a punishment.
So I'd be OK if I enlarged all the Warriors estates by 5% the day before taxes, then changed them back after taxes were distributed. That way when that warrior changes to priest, I can just stop enlarging his estate. But if I neglect to change it back after tax day, then changing it later suddenly becomes an IR violation?
You're taking the whole thing too far. Removing a bonus is NOT the same thing as penalizing, even though we occasionally talk about that when discussing feature requests, and even if some people see it that way. My giving you a bonus does NOT entitle you to keep that bonus for all of eternity, regardless of whether I give you that bonus actively or passively. If I give you a unique item that gives +25% jousting, and tell you that if you ever change class away from cavalier you have to give it back, is it an IR violation for me to demand it back when you switch to hero?
If someone takes a 5% estate in my region, then I specifically tell him "You're a warrior? Great, I'll make your estate 10% for so long as you stay a warrior", then I drop it back to 5% when he changes to priest, I see absolutely no IR violation involved in that. It's the same thing: I have given you something with conditions attached, and I demand it back when you no longer meet those conditions.
