Conrad and Alexeev describe the context for tax reform in emerging economies and outline what is labeled the ‘Standard Approach’ to tax reform, an approach that is critically evaluated. The proposed approach places emphasis on revenue generation relative to economic efficiency considerations and constraints, institutional and economic, that change through time. The approach of the work is based on two main elements: policy, for all tax instruments, developed with the individual as the taxpayer, and policy implemented via the use of withholding taxes (advanced taxes), to the extent possible, and via the use of withholding agents, Advanced Payment Agents (APAs).
Evolutionary Tax Reform in Emerging Economies examines APAs, direct tax (income tax), and VAT, excises, tariffs, and mineral contracts. Topics include how the base of each tax is defined, how the base might changed over time, and how APAs are used to collect advanced payments.
