The latest edition of this valuable book updates all previous material and incorporates much new material. It includes a consideration of the problems of and methods for controlling public spending, the relative merits of income tax and a direct expenditure tax, the changes required in the income tax unit, the petroleum revenue tax, the compliance costs of VAT and other new developments which have occurred since the second edition was published in 1978.

Introduction. The economic role of government. The growth of public expenditure. Control of government expenditure. Economic aspects of government expenditure. Taxation - principles, classification and analysis. Taxation of personal income. Taxation of business income. Outlay taxation. Taxation of capital or wealth. Local government expenditure and income. Taxation, public expenditure and the distribution of personal income and wealth. Regulation of the economy through budgetary policy. Inflation and taxation. International perspective and the EEC. Reappraisal and reform. Selected bibliography. Index.