The Elgar Guide to Tax Systems

Tax systems have changed considerably in the past three decades. These fundamental changes have been the result of economic globalization, new political stances, and also of developments in public finance thought. The chapters in this volume offer a critical review of those changes from the perspectives of tax theory, policy and tax administration practice, and the political economy of taxation. The authors also consider what sort of reforms are worth undertaking in tax policy design, tax administration and enforcement, and the assignment of sub-national taxes. The authors in this volume are among the top scholars in the study of public finance. The development of tax systems in OECD countries is examined, as are various methods of taxation (direct versus indirect, corporate income tax, value added tax and others) employed throughout the world. The politics of public finance and the institutions used to administer it are also analyzed. Reflecting on the influence of the research itself, Richard Bird closes the book with a chapter exploring whether or not economic literature has focused on the issues and problems that really matter to policy makers and whether it has influenced the development of tax systems. Economists in academia, government, and business along with tax lawyers and policy makers will find this volume an invaluable resource. Contributors include: E. Albi, R. Bahl, R. Bird, R. Boadway, S. Cnossen, H. Cremer, J. Hasseldine, W. Hettich, M. Keen, P. Pestieau, A. Sandmo, V. Tanzi, S. Winer

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction Emilio Albi and Jorge Martinez-Vazquez 1. Tax Systems in the OECD: Recent Evolution, Competition, and Convergence Vito Tanzi 2. Direct versus Indirect Taxation: Trends, Theory, and Economic Significance Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, Violeta Vulovic and Yongzheng Liu 3. Individual Income Taxation: Income, Consumption, or Dual? Robin Boadway 4. The Challenges of Corporate Income Taxes in a Globalized World Emilio Albi 5. Wealth and Wealth Transfer Taxation: A Survey Helmuth Cremer and Pierre Pestieau 6. Value-Added Tax: Onward and Upward? Jorge Martinez-Vazquez and Richard M. Bird 7. The Economics of Excise Taxation Sijbren Cnossen 8. The Scale and Scope of Environmental Taxation Agnar Sandmo 9. Financing Subnational Governments with Decentralized Taxes Roy Bahl 10. The Administration of Tax Systems John Hasseldine 11. Political Regimes, Institutions, and the Nature of Tax Systems Stanley L. Winer, Lawrence W. Kenny, and Walter Hettich 12. Tax System Change and the Impact of Tax Research Richard M. Bird Index

About the Author :
Edited by Emilio Albi, Professor of Public Finance, University of Madrid (Complutense), Spain and Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, Emeritus Regents Professor of Economics and founding Director, Public Finance Research Cluster and International Center for Public Policy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, US

Review :
‘The book discusses many of the issues facing tax systems and attempts to reform them, and it will be of considerable value both to policymakers and to students of taxation policy.’ ‘If you’re a tax specialist, whether lawyer, economist academic, or government policymaker, taxation policy, you’ll find The Elgar Guide to Tax Systems of considerable value and interest, particularly if your work involves cross-border or global tax issues. . . Each of the papers is structured in much the same way, with an introduction, conclusion and typically a lengthy bibliography at the end for further reading and research. And there is a detailed index at the back, plus a really useful list of abbreviations to facilitate ease of use. As taxation policy can be crucial to political survival in so many instances, this book of collective wisdom, we’ve no doubt, will soon become a valued addition to the well stocked tax specialist’s library.’