I really want an explanation or better yet, source for this one.

I’m not sure I get the implication - tax evaders got massacred by the millions as punishment? Or the census had no record of millions who didn’t register with the government during times of turmoil, leading to an overestimate of the casualties after major wars because it looked like the population decreased more drastically than it actually did?

wait, was the government so disorganized that they essentially fell for “I died in the war, you cant tax me”…?

I suppose being at war doesn’t do a country’s administrative organization any favors though