The Discrete Charm of the VAT
32 Pages Posted: 8 Nov 2007 Last revised: 27 Nov 2007
Abstract
This paper examines the claims commonly made for the superiority of a value-added tax over other common forms of consumption tax - usually a wholesale or manufacturers sales tax, or a retail sales tax (of the kind seen in many States of the USA). The paper questions whether the VAT deserves its esteemed position in light of the particular difficulties it introduces for taxpayers and administrators compared to these alternatives, and the unlikely ability of the tax to match of some of the claims to superiority made for it by some of its supporters.
Keywords: value-added taxation, consumption tax
JEL Classification: K34, H24, H25
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation