China and the ASEAN region have risen rapidly to a position of immense economic significance in the global economy. Academics, policy makers and businesses are all keen to understand more about taxation in China and ASEAN, and this work seeks to address this key issue by providing a comprehensive overview of the many often mentioned but little understood challenges of doing business in the region. Traversing a wide range of regional issues and jurisdictions, topics covered include the role of DTAs in regional integration, the impact of social institutions on tax, corruption and its causes, economic development and taxation and the use of education in developing systems. Case studies are taken from countries such as China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Drawing on the results of these discussions, the book also sheds light on the question of whether different taxing institutions are needed in the region. Gathering together a cross-disciplinary group of eminent scholars, this work will be of great interest to all students and scholars of Asian economics, Asian finance and taxation in general.

In this volume, a wide range of leading policy makers and practitioners reflect on the aims and objectives of monetary policy and on what it can achieve, The contributors include: * Tony Blair * Sir Samuel Brittan * Gordon Brown * Kenneth Clarke * Eddie George * Geoffrey Howe * Nigel Lawson * Peter Liley * Gordon Richardson * Lionel Robbins * Jonathon Sacks * Hans Tietmeyer. Policy Makers on Policy represents twenty five years of monetary policy. This topical collection brings together major politicians and thinkers, and will be of great interest to anyone concerned with contemporary policy-making, economics or politics.

Benefit-cost analysis is at heart a subject of practicality and usefulness. With this in mind, the editor has chosen the most relevant previously published articles for these volumes. Having explored the theoretical and ethical underpinnings of the subject, the book then addresses some major policy issues and debates. These include the institutional arrangements through which benefit-cost analyses would be most useful to the policy and decision process, the need for a set of principles and standards to unify benefit-cost analysis methods, the use of general equilibrium analysis and the proper treatment of uncertainty and risk.In his new introduction, the editor offers his own particular viewpoint and raises issues which will intrigue both academics and practitioners.

This collection brings together legal scholars, canonists and political scientists to focus on the issue of public funding in support of religious activities and institutions in Europe. The study begins by revolving around the various mechanisms put in place by the domestic legal systems, as well as those resulting from the European law of human rights and the law of the European Union. It then goes on to look at state support and particular religious groups. The presentation of European and national law is supplemented by theoretical and interdisciplinary contributions, with the main focus being to bring into discussion and map the relationship between the funding of religions and the economy and to infer from it an attempt at a systematic examination or theorization of such funding. This collection is essential reading for those studying Law and Religion, with particular focus on the countries of the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Turkey. The views expressed during the execution of the RELIGARE project, in whatever form and or by whatever medium, are the sole responsibility of the authors. The European Union is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

This is a third edition of a successful textbook that provides a contemporary account of how social services in the UK are paid for. The new edition brings the textbook up-to-date with its fast-moving subject area, explaining the finance of human services - health care, education, housing, social security a nd social care-through a review of the economic literature. It also gives an account of how the cash to pay for the services actually reaches schools, hospitals and social service departments, right from the start of the process, examining how government raises taxes, through to allocation of the funds. Both comprehensive and expertly written, this textbook will continue to feature as key reading for a variety of Social and Policy related courses.

The introduction of effective, competitive and innovative financial systems will be a key factor in the economic success, or failure, of Central and Eastern Europe. This important volume presents a comprehensive, up-to-date analysis of the development of financial systems in the region with contributions from leading researchers and bankers. An overview of recent developments and discussion of some of the major issues - including central bank independence, bank privatization and bankruptcy regulations - is followed by discussion of the conditions for and likely consequences of financial liberalization in Central and Eastern Europe. The contributors draw upon the experience of Austria and Finland, two West European countries that recently accomplished full financial liberalization. The final section includes a series of specific regional studies on the results and problems of financial reform in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, three leading reforming countries, and Bulgaria, one of the 'second wave' of transitional economies. Providing an authoritative review of current trends, The Development and Reform of Financial Systems in Central and Eastern Europe makes a unique contribution to a neglected area in the literature on economic transformation and development in former command economies.

The subnational dimension of infrastructure has emerged as one of the greatest challenges in contemporary public finance policy and management. Ensuring the efficient provision of infrastructure represents a challenge for all countries irrespective of their level of centralization or decentralization. This book proposes an innovative approach for the strengthening of decentralized public investment and infrastructure management. Decentralization and Infrastructure in the Global Economy: From Gaps to Solutions covers the most important aspects of infrastructure investment in a decentralized setting. It discusses infrastructure gaps and the quality of subnational spending; how functional responsibilities, financing and equalization can be designed; sector-specific arrangements in high expenditure areas, such as health, education and roads; key steps of the public investment cycle and management; and analyses the political economy and corruption challenges that typically accompany decentralized infrastructure projects. This book challenges some of the well-accepted principles of intergovernmental fiscal relations and will be useful to researchers and practitioners of public finance policy and management.

Does the European Union need closer fiscal integration, and in particular a stronger fiscal centre, to become more resilient to economic shocks? This book looks at the experience of 13 federal states to help inform the heated debate on this issue. It analyses in detail their practices in devolving responsibilities from the subnational to the central level, compares them to those of the European Union, and draws lessons for a possible future fiscal union in Europe.

More specifically, this book tries to answer three sets of questions: What is the role of centralized fiscal policies in federations, and hence the size, features and functions of the central budget? What institutional arrangements are used to coordinate fiscal policy between the federal and subnational levels? What are the links between federal and subnational debt, and how have subnational financing crises been handled, when they occurred? These policy questions are critical in many federations, and central to the current discussions about future paths for the European Union.

This book brings to the table new, practical insights through a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the EU fiscal framework with that of federal states. It also departs from the decentralization perspective that has been prominent in the literature by focusing on the role of the centre (which responsibilities are centralized at the federal level and how they are handled, rather than which functions belong to the local level). Such an approach is particularly relevant for the European Union, where a fiscal union would imply granting new powers to the centre.

There are many practical textbooks explaining how taxation is applied and calculated but few ever deal thoroughly with the theory behind the practice. This book concisely addresses the principles and theories behind taxation in an accessible and internationally relevant way. It encourages readers to think through and develop an understanding of why taxation is imposed, the different means by which it is imposed and the nature of the problems inherent in this imposition. It addresses background issues, fundamental principles and emerging topics such as: the philosophy and history of taxation; types of taxation; and international issues, including double taxation treaties, residence and transfer prices. This text is essential reading for students of taxation and provides a valuable introduction for students of business, finance and accounting.

There are thousands of VAT vendors in South Africa who are obliged to prepare a VAT return every two months. But in practice it is rather more complex, as certain rules apply to what you can and cannot claim as a legitimate amount, and on imports and exports related to your business.

But help is now at hand with The VAT Handbook, everyone’s essential guide on all matters concerning this tax.

The tax system is one of the instruments said to be available to translate development policy objectives into practice. The wide-ranging papers collected together in this volume, first published in 1978, explore different aspects of the link between national development objectives and the tax system. Attention is particularly focused on traditional aims such as growth, fair distribution and economic stabilisation and development. Articles written by distinguished experts in the fields of public finance and economic development clarify the concepts of taxable capacity and tax effort, and examine the connections between growth and changes within the tax system.

There are many practical textbooks explaining how taxation is applied and calculated but few ever deal thoroughly with the theory behind the practice. This book concisely addresses the principles and theories behind taxation in an accessible and internationally relevant way. It encourages readers to think through and develop an understanding of why taxation is imposed, the different means by which it is imposed and the nature of the problems inherent in this imposition. It addresses background issues, fundamental principles and emerging topics such as: the philosophy and history of taxation; types of taxation; and international issues, including double taxation treaties, residence and transfer prices. This text is essential reading for students of taxation and provides a valuable introduction for students of business, finance and accounting.

Inequality is a choice. The United States bills itself as the land of opportunity, a place where anyone can achieve success and a better life through hard work and determination. But the facts tell a different story-the U.S. today lags behind most other developed nations in measures of inequality and economic mobility. For decades, wages have stagnated for the majority of workers while economic gains have disproportionately gone to the top one percent. Education, housing and health care-essential ingredients for individual success-are growing ever more expensive. Deeply rooted structural discrimination continues to hold down women and people of colour, and more than one-fifth of all American children now live in poverty. These trends are on track to become even worse in the future. Some economists claim that today's bleak conditions are inevitable consequences of market outcomes, globalisation and technological progress. If we want greater equality, they argue, we have to sacrifice growth. This is simply not true. American inequality is the result of misguided structural rules that actually constrict economic growth. We have stripped away worker protections and family support systems, created a tax system that rewards short-term gains over long-term investment, offered a de facto public safety net to too-big-to-fail financial institutions, and chosen monetary and fiscal policies that promote wealth over full employment.

Scholarly research on taxation is increasingly preoccupied with its global implications. This volume collects the most important and influential recent research on international aspects of taxation. The book offers empirical estimates of the effects of taxation on foreign direct investment, international borrowing, and other forms of tax avoidance. It further focuses on classic studies of tax competition and the latest research on the characteristics of desirable tax policies in open economies. This authoritative collection of articles offers a comprehensive survey of international tax issues, one that is accessible to newcomers to the field but is also of considerable value to seasoned tax professionals.

Public sector organizations are in one of the most challenging environments they have ever had to face as they bear much of the cost of the recession. More than ever before, public sector leaders need to instil strong performance improvement disciplines into their organizations that enable these leaders to fully understand: key outcomes and priority deliverables, how to allocate reduced financial resources and where to reduce costs and improve efficiencies without jeopardizing service delivery.
Written in an accessible and practical style, this fully-updated second edition addresses the efficiency drive using models, tools and ideas more commonly found in the corporate world, such as balanced scorecard and Lean. It also includes new case studies and real-life examples, from Audit Scotland, Belfast City Council, Brisbane City Council, City of Charlotte, Civil Service College (Singapore) FBI, NHS, Ministry of Works (Bahrain), Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the US Postal Service.

This authoritative research review discusses the most influential papers relating to the economics of transfer pricing. The piece notably covers the topic of transfer pricing in light of divisionalization, government regulations, bargaining models, market distortions and product characteristics as well as touching on the important subjects of empirical estimates of transfer price manipulation and transfer mispricing estimates. Written by Lorraine Eden, one of the founders and a leading contributor to the field, this research review promises to be useful reading for doctoral students, faculty members and policy makers who wish to extend their knowledge on the economics of transfer pricing.

With all levels of governments currently, and for the foreseeable future, under significant fiscal stress, any new transit funding mechanism is to be welcomed. Value capture (VC) is one such mechanism, which involves the identification and capture of a public infrastructure-led increase in property value. This book reviews four major VC mechanisms: joint development projects; special assessment districts; impact fees; and tax increment financing; all of which are used to fund transit in the United States. Through the study of prominent examples of these VC mechanisms from across the US, this book evaluates their performance focusing on aspects such as equity, revenue-generating potential, stakeholder support, and the legal and policy environment. It also conducts a comparative assessment of VC mechanisms to help policy makers and practitioners to choose one, or a combination of VC mechanisms. Although the book focuses on the US, the use of the VC mechanisms and the urgent need for additional revenue to fund public transportation are world-wide concerns. Therefore, an overview of the VC mechanisms in use internationally is also provided.

This insightful book examines the necessary conditions for the successful initiation and consolidation of unpopular economic reforms. Drawing on the burgeoning literature in the area of policy reform, it features a comparative analysis of fiscal reform in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic at different stages of the post-communist transformation. This analysis demonstrates that a significant number of the national differences in fiscal reform can be attributed to differences in political constraints. It also reveals that these very constraints change in the course of transformation and have become increasingly similar to the 'standard' restrictions which exist in the traditional EU and OECD countries. This in-depth analysis of the changing role of political determinants in post-communist fiscal reform will strongly appeal to economists and political scientists interested in the political economy of policy reform, post-communist economic transformation and the role of international organizations (IMF, EU) in shaping domestic policy-making. Policy analysts interested in fiscal reform in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic will also find much to interest them in this book.

Does the European Union need closer fiscal integration, and in particular a stronger fiscal centre, to become more resilient to economic shocks? This book looks at the experience of 13 federal states to help inform the heated debate on this issue. It analyses in detail their practices in devolving responsibilities from the subnational to the central level, compares them to those of the European Union, and draws lessons for a possible future fiscal union in Europe. More specifically, this book tries to answer three sets of questions: What is the role of centralized fiscal policies in federations, and hence the size, features and functions of the central budget? What institutional arrangements are used to coordinate fiscal policy between the federal and subnational levels? What are the links between federal and subnational debt, and how have subnational financing crises been handled, when they occurred? These policy questions are critical in many federations, and central to the current discussions about future paths for the European Union. This book brings to the table new, practical insights through a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the EU fiscal framework with that of federal states. It also departs from the decentralization perspective that has been prominent in the literature by focusing on the role of the centre (which responsibilities are centralized at the federal level and how they are handled, rather than which functions belong to the local level). Such an approach is particularly relevant for the European Union, where a fiscal union would imply granting new powers to the centre.

Fiscal policy has always been a primary measure of macroeconomic control. The fiscal revenue and expenditure can influence the operation of the whole economic and social activities by changing the existing GDP distribution pattern, affecting the consumption and investment of enterprises and people, etc. Within the framework of macroeconomic analysis, this book reviews the evolution of China's fiscal policy, and the main changes China's economy has experienced since 1990s. To begin with, it makes an empirical research of China's national debts, including their relationship with macroeconomic regulation and total social demand. Besides, it examines the economic effect mechanism of national debts issuance. Then it focuses on the taxation issues, elucidating the sources of tax revenue growth and the judgments on tax burden. The issue of tax reduction is also covered, especially its complexity in China. Lastly, it provides insights into China's fiscal tendency, changes of macroeconomic policies, and financial operation in the context of the "New Normal". Scholars and students in economics, finance and Chinese economic studies will be attracted by this book. Also, it will appeal to readers interested in modern Chinese economic history.

America is currently involved in one of the worst economic crises of modern times. As alarm increases over how the government will balance the budget, handle the debt, and maintain prosperity for the future, the minutia of debts and deficits remains incomprehensible to many. Why is it so hard to find ways to resolve the fiscal crisis? This brief and intelligible book is a guide to understanding both the difficulties involved in managing the federal budget and why the on-going fiscal crisis is so significant for America's future. In order to introduce the reader to the basic composition of federal spending and to the ways that the government raises revenue, Hudson begins his guide with a "map" clarifying how to navigate the federal budget. He defines basic financial vocabulary and outlines concepts by using clear charts and diagrams that both provide basis for discussion and illustrate key points. With this budget map in mind, the second part of the book lays out how the partisan divide in America helps explain the fiscal crisis. Hudson analyzes the debate on the extent of the fiscal crisis, the ways that political parties have tried to solve it, and the political events and institutions that have surrounded the crisis. This citizen's guide reveals how differing views of America inform the arguments over deficits and debt. By the time readers finish the book, they will understand that the conflict over deficits and debt is not simply about where to cut or add spending, but instead is a struggle over national priorities and visions for the future.

From a giant of health care policy, an engaging and enlightening account of why American health care is so expensive-and why it doesn't have to be Uwe Reinhardt was a towering figure and moral conscience of health care policy in the United States and beyond. Famously bipartisan, he advised presidents and Congress on health reform and originated central features of the Affordable Care Act. In Priced Out, Reinhardt offers an engaging and enlightening account of the U.S. health care system, explaining why it costs so much more and delivers so much less than the systems of every other advanced country, why this situation is morally indefensible, and how we might improve it. Drawing on the best evidence, he guides readers through the chaotic, secretive, and inefficient way America pays for health care, dispelling the confusion, ignorance, myths, and misinformation that hinder effective reform.

This book examines the present status, recent tax reforms and planned tax policies in some South and East Asia countries since the 1990s. The evidence is presented in a user friendly manner, but at the same time uses technically sophisticated methods. The main countries studied are China, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand. It is unique for being the first systematic treatment of the topic: hitherto, the information available has been widely dispersed and difficult to access. It should prove to be a natural companion to two previous books on taxation published by Routledge and also edited by Luigi Bernardi.

This volume provides a splendid and wide-ranging collection of studies analyzing the political-economy of decentralization in Latin-America. It's a fascinating story with numerous and profound insights into how fiscal decentralization actually works in the context of a variety of fiscal institutions and in a setting with a high degree of inequality in the distribution of income and territorial disparities.' - Wallace E. Oates, University of Maryland, College Park US'The volume on Decentralization and Reform in Latin America is an important addition to the growing literature on decentralization. Some of the issues in the implementation and effectiveness of decentralization are similar all over the world, but there are issues of particular salience to Latin America, a region where decentralization reforms have come sometimes in the wake of major political reforms. This volume pays special attention to the complexity of issues (both relating to equity and efficiency) arising in the context of vertical fiscal imbalance and inter-governmental transfers, in the delivery of social services or investment spending, in the sharing of rent from natural resources among social and regional groups and in macro-fiscal stabilization. I expect the volume to receive widespread attention.' - Pranab Bhardan, University of California, Berkeley, US 'Giorgio Brosio and Juan Pablo Jimenez have made a remarkable job in preparing the best comprehensive treatment of comparative decentralization experiences in Latin America. It will be essential reading for analysts of fiscal and local government issues in the region and a very useful tool for Latin Americanists in general.' - Jose Antonio Ocampo, Professor, Columbia University. Former Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and Finance Minister of Colombia Decentralisation and Reform in Latin America analyzes the process of intergovernmental reform in Latin America in the last two decades and presents a number of emerging issues. These include the impacts of decentralization and the response of countries in the region to challenge such as social cohesion, interregional and interpersonal disparities, the assignment of social and infrastructure expenditure, macrofinancial shocks, fiscal rules and the sharing of natural resources revenue. The main aim of the book is to assess the effective working of decentralized arrangements and institutions, with a view of suggesting corrections and reforms where the system is not working according to expectations. Policymakers, researchers and academics with an interest in subjects related to public policy, fiscal rules, intergovernmental relations, governance and decentralization will find this book invaluable. Contributors include: J.R. Afonso, E. Ahmad, V. Almeida, G. Arballo, G. Brosio, K. Castro, O. Cetrangolo, S. Dain, L. de Mello, A. Faveret, R. Gargarella, A. Goldschmit, J.C. Gomez Sabaini, V. Grembi, J.P. Jimenez, A. Manoel, J. Martinez-Vasquez, F. Rezende, C. Sepulveda, T. Ter-Minassian, J. Veloso