This Book Attempts To Deal With All The Important Aspects Of Taxation From The Earliest Times In India Upto The Gupta Period. Besides, It Aims To Present A Comparative Study Of The Priciples And Tenets Of Ancient Indian Tax System And The Modern Fiscal Developments.

This book is an attempt to focus the attention on the sound economic ideas, magnificent financial management prevalent in ancient India. To start with a comparative position of ancient India and other ancient seats of civilization in this regard has been highlighted. The principles of Taxation, classification of Revenues–both from tax and non-tax sources and various taxes in vogue such as Land Revenue, Customs, Excise Duty, Sales Tax, Excess Profits Tax, Octroi etc. and also revenue from non-tax sources feature in the few subsequent chapters. The principles of expenditure and classification of State expenditure–Military, Civil and Welfare-oriented expenditures–are dealt with in the next few chapters. Financial Administration and methods of Accounting and also Budget including performance budget have been discussed. The findings of this book are based not only on the literary sources but also on the epigraphical evidences.

Tax practitioners are unfamiliar with tax theory. Tax economists remain unfamiliar with tax law and tax administration. Most textbooks relate mainly to the US, UK or European experiences. Students in emerging economies remain unfamiliar with their own taxation history. This textbook fills those gaps. It covers the concept of taxes in regards to their rationale, principles, design, and common errors. It addresses distortions in consumer choices and production decisions caused by tax and redressals. The main principles of taxation—efficiency, equity, stabilization, revenue productivity, administrative feasibility, international neutrality—are presented and discussed. The efficiency principle requires the minimisation of distortions in the market caused by tax. Equity in taxation is another principle that is maintained through progressivity in the tax structure. Similarly, other principles have their own ramifications that are also addressed. A country’s constitutional specification of tax assignment to different levels of government—central, state, municipal—are elaborated. The UK is more centralised than the US and India. India has amended its constitution to introduce a goods and services tax (GST) covering both central and state governments. Drafting of tax law is crucial for clarity and this aspect is addressed. Furthermore, the author illustrates different types of taxes such as individual income tax, corporate income tax, wealth tax, retail sales/value added/goods and services tax, selective excises, property tax, minimum taxes such as the minimum alternate tax (MAT), cash-flow tax, financial transactions tax, fringe benefits tax, customs duties and export taxes, environment tax and global carbon tax, and user charges. An emerging concern regarding the inadequacy of international taxation of multinational corporations is covered in some detail. Structural aspects of tax administration are given particular attention.

This is the first book to study taxation and revenue collection through a detailed analysis of public finance and financial administration in four major Indian texts, namely Mahabharata, Manusmriti, Shukranitisar and Arthashastra, as philosophers trained in the Indian classic tradition and scholars working on ancient Indian wisdom mostly prefer a more abstract approach. India has a long tradition of at least two millennia of active philosophizing in the fields of logic, ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, though many in the West feel hesitant in according it the title “philosophy” in their sense of the word. Furthermore, few in India have taken it beyond philosophy towards active knowledge. This book re-visits and re-interprets the contexts of these texts with logic and objectivity to bring the pearls of knowledge found within into the present day, showing that Sanskrit is still the lingua franca of intellectual dialogue in India.

Taxes are imposed so that a government may perform its traditional functions (defence, and maintenance of law and order), undertake welfare and developmental activities, and make provision for public goods to satisfy collective needs of the people. It has also to pay for its own administration. After Independence in 1947, the Indian tax system has undergone major structural changes. It has become comprehensive and complicated over the years. A historic tax reform in the form of goods and services tax (GST) was introduced in India from July 1, 2017. This book provides an exhaustive and critical account of various aspects of the Indian tax system in historical settings. It places current developments in the field of taxation in perspective. The book contains 22 chapters which have been organized into 3 parts. Part I (chapters 1 and 2) is titled Taxes in Ancient and Medieval India. The detailed analysis given in Manu Smriti and Arthashastra on the subject shows the existence of a well-planned taxation system, even in ancient times. Taxes were paid in the form of gold coins, cattle, grains, raw materials and also by rendering personal services. Similarly, there were various types of taxes during the Sultanate period and the Mughal rule. Land revenue by far was the most important source of income for the Mughal rulers. The land revenue system adopted by Akbar has been greatly admired by historians. Part II (chapters 3 to 8) is titled Taxes during British Rule. It explains and examines the financial administration of the British rulers and the introduction of income tax, excise duties and sales tax by them. Rationalization of customs duties, and the working of federal-provincial financial relations are also discussed in this part. Part III (chapters 9 to 22) is titled Post-Independence History of Taxation. This part is further sub-divided into Part III (A) and Part III (B). Part III (A) (chapters 9 to 14) is titled Multiple and Punitive Taxation during Pre-reforms Period (1947 to 1990). It explains the policy of integrated direct tax system introduced soon after Independence in 1947. It also describes the structure of income tax, excise duties, customs duties and sales tax. Part III (B) (chapters 15 to 22) is titled Moderate and Rationalized Tax System in the Post-reforms Period (Since 1991). It deals with approach to tax reforms, rationalization and simplification of income tax, excise duties and customs tariff, introduction of service tax, and states switch over from sales tax to value added tax (VAT). It also discusses the main features of goods and services tax (GST) introduced from July 1, 2017. The book also contains an appendix which lays out current constitutional provisions pertaining to distribution of taxation powers between the Centre and the States.

The Indian tax system has become comprehensive and complicated since Independence in 1947. Besides being the main source of revenue, both for the Central and State Governments, it is an effective instrument to realise various socio-economic objectives of national policies. This book traces the structural evolution, explains the legal framework, and describes the present system of taxation in India. It focuses on individual taxes levied by the Central and State Governments. The book provides an exhaustive and critical account of various aspects of the Indian tax system. The overall approach to the subject is descriptive, analytical, and at places normative.