After the fall of Wall Maria, the sudden loss of vast farmlands led to severe food shortages. The government used these shortages as a tool for population control, even sending 250,000 refugees on a "reconquest" mission that was effectively a state-sanctioned cull to reduce the number of mouths to feed.
Early in the series, citizens express resentment that their taxes "fatten up" the Survey Corps for missions that often yield no results. farm taxes attack on titan part 2 hforgods top
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