Stiglitz Joseph E. author Columbia University. Business Columbia University. International and Public Affairs Columbia University. Economics Columbia University. Initiative for Policy Dialogue originator text Working papers New York Initiative for Policy Dialogue 2009 No public policy issue is of more importance than the structure and level of taxes. Tax reform has led governments to fall. Proposals to extend the VAT or increase its rates have been a source of political agitation in many countries, including Ecuador and Mexico. In many less developed countries, a shortage of funds impedes development efforts, and yet attempts to expand taxation not only meet enormous political resistance, but also often turn out to be futile. Simplistic recommendations to increase the power of the tax police often backfire—generating substantially more revenue for the tax collectors, but not much extra revenue for the public fisc. Finance Public policy http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:15131 English NNC NNC 2012-10-31 15:35:39 -0400 2012-10-31 15:40:14 -0400 9133 eng