to be fair, it wasn't literally that (but it kinda was)

basically instead of taxing you based on where you lived or what you earned, it was changed based on "you existing" (ie practically this meant you were registered to vote, and/or rented a property or other legal mechanism determining you address, but the most common one being voter registration).

so in order to dodge the tax people had to keep moving house or not register to vote and instead of voting... rioted.