Final answer:
Tribute is historically a payment indicating dependency or to secure peace, while taxes are mandatory charges by a government to fund public services, based on benefit received or ability to pay.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between tribute and taxes lies in their respective contexts and purposes. Tribute is most often seen in historical contexts where it is a payment made by one nation or political unit to another, usually as a sign of dependency or submission, or to secure protection or peace. Such payments were common in ancient empires or feudal societies.
On the other hand, taxes are mandatory financial charges or some other type of levy imposed upon a taxpayer by a governmental organization in order to fund various public expenditures. Taxes serve as the main source of revenue for a government and are based on principles such as the 'benefit principle' of taxation, which suggests that those who benefit from government services should pay in proportion to the benefits they receive, and the 'ability-to-pay principle', where the tax burden should fall on those who are most able to pay. Taxes can be levied on income, sales, property, and imports (customs duties) among other things, and they ebb and flow with the economic activity of a country.