The difficulties of achieving successful tax reform

Abstract

This chapter sets out the issues that should be considered in developing and implementing tax reform. Economic theory makes an essential contribution to the development of tax reform, incorporating issues of both economic efficiency and equity. However, other theoretical considerations indicate that successful tax design may be considerably more difficult in practice than seems to be widely thought. In addition, there are matters of tax administration and compliance that have to be taken into account. The changing socio-economic environment within which tax systems have to operate as well as the political process of tax reform are also important. Finally, the chapter shows how to develop a systematic approach which can incorporate the many important issues that should be included in developing tax reform successfully.