Virtues and Fallacies of VAT: An Evaluation after 50 Years

Virtues and Fallacies of VAT centers on evaluating the use of value-added tax (VAT) from a global policy perspective after over 50 years of experience with its intricacies. VAT is a mainstay of revenue systems in more than 160 countries. Because consumption is a more stable revenue base than other tax bases, VAT is less distorting and hence more likely to encourage investment, savings, optimum labor supply decisions, and growth. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of VAT is important for policymakers and their advisors when contemplating introducing the tax in a country or evaluating how to improve an existing VAT system. This book offers authoritative perspectives on VAT’s full spectrum from its signal successes to the subtle ways in which its application can undermine revenue performance and economic neutrality.