51 thumbs up

A question about VAT

How does reducing VAT affect economy besides lowering of prices?


  • 812 views
Share Send to a friend Watch Report
 

Best Answer

 
190 thumbs up

Well, since the VAT is some sort of a sales tax and is intended to be a tax on consumption, it mainly affects the prices - Lowering the VAT will in most cases result in lowering prices.

However, there are a few other effects.

The first is a decrease in tax evasion cases, and by that increasing the state revenue (VAT is a major factor in the state revenue - in some cases it even gets to a level of 45%).

Another issue is that VAT is considered a regressive tax, since it is levied on the product regardless of a person's income, which means that people with lower income pay a larger relative part of their income on each product. Lowering the tax makes consuming easier for people with lower income than for people with higher income.


Posted 2 years ago ( permalink )
In reply to Annete's question
Rated as
Best Answer
0
3

Helpful?

line
line
line


 

All Answers

Order by
 
52 thumbs up

Reducing taxes (of any sort) lowers the taxing government's income.  This means the government has less money to spend on normal activities, such as paying interest on debt, public works, education, and defense.  Unless there is a corresponding decrease in government spending levels after a tax reduction, the government will actually increase its deficit spending.  Broadly speaking, this will result in greater inflation (which has a drag effect on the economy).

On the positive side, lower taxes, as indicated in the previous answer, also generally mean lower prices.  This will generally stimulate an economy by creating more demand for goods, and this may lead to lower unemployment.

 Broadly speaking, a tax reduction without a corresponding spending reduction does not have a positive economic impact.  See http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/pubs/ar/ar1979.cfm for more details.

 


Posted 2 years ago ( permalink )
In reply to Annete's question
Rated as
#2 out of 3
0
2

Helpful?

line
line
line



 
190 thumbs up

Well, Mark50 has mentioned that lowering taxes lowers goverment's revenue from tax. Since it's exactly the opposite of what I said in the first part of my answer, I'll try to explain.

For a detailed explanation, read about the Laffer Curve. In short, the laffer curve describes a well known situation, in which when people believe a tax is too high, they tend to evade from paying their taxes. When governments lower a tax, you'll find that more people are willing to pay it, so actually the state revenue increases, since more people are paying. Of course that is to a certain level, from which lowering taxes decreases state revenue although more people are paying, since the amount they pay is very small, and then, as said by Mark50, the government has to reduce its expenditure.

 


Posted 2 years ago ( permalink )
In reply to Annete's question
Rated as
#3 out of 3
0
0

Helpful?

line
line
line



Sign in to participate

Got an answer for Annete? Would you like to comment on the posted answers, or vote for the one which you think is the best?

Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member).

Explore Related Questions

Other people asked questions on similar topics, check out the answers they received:


What web-site lets you know when your tax stimulus ...

What web-site lets you know when your tax stimulus payment will arrive
Submitted by Frankie 5 months ago
  • viewed 210 times

Last answer posted 5 months ago by profitbob


What type of impact do you think the United States ...

What type of impact do you think the United States economy has on the World economy?
Submitted by worriedagain 3 months ago
  • viewed 58 times

Last answer posted 2 months ago by fish


Please help me... don't understand the question

Examine the essential theoretical presumptions of the Keynesian view of the transmission mechanism operative in an economy and ...
Submitted by vix49 1 year ago
  • viewed 583 times

Last answer posted 1 year ago by lior_p



» More...

Explore Related Posts in Forums

ASDA petitioning for change to VAT rating on fruit juices

It seems that our VAT system needs a big shakeup. Bizarrely, the government charges zero rate VAT . If the Labour party are going to use tax to control our habits, then surely a sliding...

VAT ranting. Ignore if you are not in the mood.

and didn't see, before checking out, I got charged VAT. VAT is an unfair tax, as most indirect taxes cheating on address and save 20%. I don't intend to open a flaming thread. I know VAT is a legal

boom or boo boo economics. from the other pinoy ng where dsp never...

: * Economic Boom or Boo-boo Economics * Upon her return from the ASEAN Conference revenues. It will then have to increasingly rely on the regressive value added tax (VAT) on petroleum
» More...
Powered by
Feed - Subscribe to changes to this Q&A Blog
Copyright © 2006-2008, Yedda Inc. and respective copyright owners · CC License