Taxation history, theory, law and administration

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Taxation

Part I Selected History of Indian Taxation
2. Taxation in Ancient India
3. Taxation Under the Mughals
4. Taxation in Early British Period
5. Taxation in Pre-Independence Period: The Salt Tax


Part II Theory of Taxation
6. Principles of Taxation
7. Market Behaviour of Consumers and Producers
8. Introduction of a Tax in the Market
9. Incidence of a Tax
10. Equity Effects of Taxation
11. Tax and Stabilisation of the Economy

Part III Tax Law
12. Tax Assignment and Revenue Sharing
13. Tax Legislation
14. Drafting Tax Law

Part IV Prevalent Taxes
15. Income Taxes—Design and Evidence
16. Taxation of Income from Interest, Dividends and Capital Gains
17. Taxation of Individual Income—India Case Study
18. Corporate Income Tax—Design and Evidence
19. Corporate Income Tax—India Case Study
20. Minimum Alternate Tax—India Case Study
21. Consumption and Production Taxes
22. Environment Taxes and User Charges
23. Indirect Taxation Prior to GST: India Case Study
24. Goods and Services Tax (GST): India Case Study
25. Taxation of International Trade: Design and Experience
26. Unusual Taxes

Part V International Taxation
27. Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements
28. Specific Anti-avoidance Rules (SAAR)
29. General Anti-avoidance Rules (GAAR)
30. Tax Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)
31. Taxation of Digital Economy

Part VI Tax Administration
32. Structure, Customers and People
33. Key Administration Processes
34. Dispute Management
35. Technology and Research
36. Customs Administration

Part VII Ideal Tax Design
37. A Good Tax System: A Rapid Review

Tax practitioners are unfamiliar with tax theory. Tax economists remain unfamiliar with tax law and tax administration. Most textbooks relate mainly to the US, UK or European experiences. Students in emerging economies remain unfamiliar with their own taxation history. This textbook fills those gaps. It covers the concept of taxes in regards to their rationale, principles, design, and common errors. It addresses distortions in consumer choices and production decisions caused by tax and redressals. The main principles of taxation—efficiency, equity, stabilization, revenue productivity, administrative feasibility, international neutrality—are presented and discussed. The efficiency principle requires the minimisation of distortions in the market caused by tax. Equity in taxation is another principle that is maintained through progressivity in the tax structure. Similarly, other principles have their own ramifications that are also addressed.

A country’s constitutional specification of tax assignment to different levels of government—central, state, municipal—are elaborated. The UK is more centralised than the US and India. India has amended its constitution to introduce a goods and services tax (GST) covering both central and state governments. Drafting of tax law is crucial for clarity and this aspect is addressed. Furthermore, the author illustrates different types of taxes such as individual income tax, corporate income tax, wealth tax, retail sales/value added/goods and services tax, selective excises, property tax, minimum taxes such as the minimum alternate tax (MAT), cash-flow tax, financial transactions tax, fringe benefits tax, customs duties and export taxes, environment tax and global carbon tax, and user charges. An emerging concern regarding the inadequacy of international taxation of multinational corporations is covered in some detail. Structural aspects of tax administration are given particular attention.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-68214-9#about