Advanced Introduction to Taxation: (Elgar Advanced Introductions series)

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. George Zodrow offers a fresh look at taxation from a public economics perspective, focusing on how taxes affect economic behaviour and impact the decisions of both households and businesses. Zodrow explores both the theoretical and empirical literatures, discussing classic results and modern extensions. He demonstrates how knowledge of economic behavior can be utilized to construct both analytical and computable models of the effects of taxes on the United States economy. He concludes by exploring optimal taxation, which balances efficiency and equity goals when designing tax systems that aim to maximize social welfare while taking into account the constraints imposed by the tax-induced behavioral responses of households and businesses. Key Features Examines effects of taxes on household and business behavior Considers international taxation, income shifting and tax competition Discusses general equilibrium modeling of the effects of taxation Explores alternative tax systems, including proposals for fundamental tax reform Analyzes classic and modern results on optimal taxation Evaluates the ongoing debate regarding the policy implications of optimal tax theory This Advanced Introduction to Taxation is an invaluable guide to students in public economics, public finance and taxation. This book will also be of interest to tax professionals and readers interested in improving their understanding of the many economic effects of taxation.

Table of Contents:
Contents 1 Introduction: An overview of taxation 2 Taxation and labor supply 3 Taxation and saving behavior 4 Taxation and investment: The basic model 5 Taxation and investment: Multinational enterprises 6 Taxation and investment: Additional topics 7 General equilibrium analysis 8 Optimal taxation References

About the Author :
George R. Zodrow, Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline Chair of Economics, Economics Department and Rice Faculty Scholar, Center for Public Finance, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, USA

Review :
‘For over 40 years, George Zodrow has made fundamental contributions to the theory of tax reform, the choice between income or consumption as the basis of taxation, the taxation of multinational corporations, and tax competition and the theory of tax incidence. In this learned book, Zodrow discusses all of the basic issues on the design of alternative tax systems, including the effects of taxes on economic incentives and optimal taxation. The result is a tour de force, a marvelous blend of theory and empirical evidence.’ ‘George Zodrow is widely known in both the academic and policy literatures for keen insights on taxation. His Advanced Introduction to Taxation greatly extends his contributions as he clearly lays out how taxes affect household and business behavior and ultimately the overall economy. George has a unique ability to communicate effectively with readers, which enhances the importance of the book as a key source for all interested in a serious look at taxation. He begins with a comprehensive discussion of the key factors to consider in designing tax policy and the conceptual framework underlying taxation before moving on to in-depth analysis of major tax topics. This very well written book summarizes effectively the broad tax literature and is an outstanding text for those who want to study the economic perspective of taxation.’