The Modern Vat

by Liam P. Ebrill

Value-added tax, or VAT, first introduced less than 50 years ago, is now a pivotal component of tax systems around the world. The rapid and seemingly irresistible rise of the VAT is probably the most important tax development of the latter twentieth century, and certainly the most breathtaking. Written by a team of experts from the International Monetary Fund, this book examines the remarkable spread and current reach of the innovative tax and draws lessons about the design and implementation of the VAT, as experienced by different countries around the world. How efficient is it as a tax, is it fair, and is it suitable for all countries are among the questions raised in this highly informative and well-researched book that also looks at the likely future of the tax.

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Liam P. Ebrill succeeded Mr. Jorge Márquez-Ruarte to the position of Director of the Human Resources Department of the IMF in 2014.

Ebrill is an Irish national who received a doctorate in economics from Harvard University. He joined the IMF in 1983.

Reviews

[Naveed Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for understanding the structure of VAT.