The Philosophy of Taxation and Public Finance
The Philosophy of Taxation and Public Finance

Author: Robert W. McGee

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2011-06-27

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 1441991409

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Most public finance books are texts, which are aimed at undergraduate or graduate students. They are overly technical in nature and appeal only to a narrow range of bureaucrats and academics. Books on taxation are written for tax practitioners and usually emphasize either what the law is or how to maneuver through the labyrinth of tax law to minimize taxes for clients. Philosophy books on taxation or public finance simply do not exist. The Philosophy of Taxation and Public Finance is different. It is written in nontechnical language and is aimed to appeal to a wide range of readers, including practitioners, academics and students in the fields of taxation, public finance, economics, law, philosophy and political science as well as general readers who are interested in learning why they are being taxed the way they are. The author addresses the major issues and topics in taxation and public finance and injects them with philosophical insights. He discusses questions such as: -What arguments have been used to justify taxation? -When is tax evasion unethical? -Are some taxes better than others? -What are the proper functions of government? -How much is enough? Is the ability to pay concept valid? -When can punitive taxes be justified?

Retrospectives on Public Finance
Retrospectives on Public Finance

Author: Carl Sumner Shoup

Publisher: Durham : Duke University Press

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 432

ISBN-13:

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Retrospectives on Public Finance contains original analyses by internationally recognized public finance scholars, including Carl Sumner Shoup, one of the discipline's most famous practitioners. Shoup, along with Richard Musgrave and his students, pioneered the "prescriptive" or "political economy school" of public finance known for its hands-on approach and its commitment to applying theory to real world problems. Each contributor provides a retrospective on Shoup's various contributions to the field, reviewing the literature and assessing its relevance to current problems in public finance theory and policy. The essays highlight and analyze fiscal theory and public policy developments from the 1930s to the present in four areas: the Shoup tax missions to Japan, Venezuela, and Liberia; the tax mix; the expenditure mix; and macro public finance. Contributors. Lorraine Eden, Carl S. Shoup, Malcolm Gillis, Minoru Nakazato, Charles E. McLure Jr., John Bossons, Richard Goode, William Vickery, Wayne Thirsk, John Graham, Stanley Winer, W. Irwin Gillespie, Melville L. McMillan, Cliff Walsh, John G. Head, Enid Slack, Edwin G. West, Richard M. Bird, Peggy B. Musgrave, Douglas A. L. Auld, John B. Burbidge, Jack M. Mintz, John Sargent, Richard A. Musgrave

Studies in State and Local Public Finance
Studies in State and Local Public Finance

Author: Harvey S. Rosen

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2007-12-01

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 0226726258

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In fiscal year 1981-82, state and local government spending actually exceeded federal nondefense spending. However, past research in public finance has focused on federal spending and policies and paid little attention to the economic problems of state and local governments. Studies in State and Local Public Finance goes far in correcting this omission. Developed from a National Bureau of Economic Research conference on state and local financing, the volume includes papers summarizing and extending recent research as well as commentaries. Covering a wide range of topics, the papers share an empirical orientation and a concern with policy issues. The first two papers look at the role of tax-exempt bonds in local public finance. Their findings suggest that tax policies significantly affect municipal borrowing practices and that financial advantage can be achieved under certain of these practices. Other papers address specific issues related to state and local tax policy: the impact of local taxes on location decisions; efficient road-use charges for trucks; and the relation of income and general sales tax systems over time. Examining issues related to United States federalism, the last paper focuses on the impact of federal grant aid to states. The research and findings these papers report make an important contribution to the study of local public finance and should be of particular interest to policymakers and those involved in private and public financing at the local, state, or federal level.

The Economics of Taxation
The Economics of Taxation

Author: Henry Aaron

Publisher: Brookings Institution Press

Published: 2011-07-01

Total Pages: 454

ISBN-13: 9780815707066

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This volume brings together the contributions of twenty-four economists and lawyers on tax policy. Five papers build on the work of Joseph A. Pechman in analyzing the distribution of tax burdens. A. B. Atkinson relates the analysis of redistribution of income through the tax system to horizontal equity, James Buchanan and Geoffrey Brennan demonstrate that a full analysis of tax burdens must encompass tax-induced inefficiencies, and Boris I. Bittker examines how tax inequities become resource misallocation. In separate papers, Joseph J. Minarik and Benjamin A. Okner elaborate on and extend Pechman’s analyses of tax burdens. Three papers address the concept of tax expenditures: Stanley S. Surrey and Paul R. McDaniel trace the development of the idea, Martin S. Feldstein demonstrates that some use of tax expenditures is necessary for the sake of economic efficiency, and Gerard M. Brannon examines the relations between tax expenditures and the distribution of income. Michael J. Boskin, Richard Goode, Peter Mieszkowski, and John B. Shoven and Paul Taubman examine alternative tax bases. Harvey E. Brazer and Alicia H. Munnell, in separate papers, argue that the basic unit subject to the personal income tax should be the individual rather than the family. David F. Bradford and Arnold C. Harberger analyze changes that would reduce present biases in the tax treatment of investment income. George F. Break and Charles E. McLure, Jr., consider possible improvements in the personal and corporation income taxes imposed by states. E. Cary Brown, Richard A. Musgrave, and Emil M. Sunley deal with fiscal policy. Brown draws lessons from U.S. History since 1945. Musgrave confronts Marxian and other theories of fiscal crises with the facts. Sunley describes the many pitfalls between proposals for even modest tax change and final congressional action.

Public Finance in Developing Countries
Public Finance in Developing Countries

Author: Vito Tanzi

Publisher:

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13:

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This lively and accessible book discusses the real world fiscal issues in developing countries within a realistic macroeconomic and social framework. It represents the best synthesis currently available of the link between public finance and macroeconomics in developing countries, with emphasis on positive rather than normative aspects. The first part of the book emphasizes the reasons why normatively prescribed policy objectives are often not achieved. The second part includes various chapters that show the close link that exists between developments in the public finances and in the macroeconomic situation of these countries. The impact on inflation and of the real exchange rate on tax revenue is highlighted. The third part discusses various aspects of taxation and the requirements for successful tax reform.