CONTRIBUTIONS, public law. Taxes or money contributed to the support of the 
government. 
     2. Contributions are of three kinds, namely: first, those which arise 
from persons on account of their property, real or personal, or which are 
imposed upon their industry; those which are laid on and paid by real 
estate without regard to its owner; and those to which personal property 
is subject, in its transmission from hand to hand, without regard to the 
owner. See Domat, Dr. Publ. 1. 1, t. 5, s. 2, n. 2. 
     3. this is a generic term which includes all kinds of impositions for 
the public benefit. See Duties; Imports; Taxes. 
     4. By contributions is also meant forced levy of money or property by a 
belligerent in a hostile country which he occupies, by which means the 
country is made to contribute to the support of the army of occupation. 
These contributions are usually taken instead of pillage. Vatt. Dr. des 
Gens, liv. 3, 9, Sec. 165; Id. liv. 4, c. 3, Sec. 29.