The paper studies a fiscal policy instrument that can reduce fiscal distortions, without affecting revenues, in a politically viable way. The instrument is a private contract (tax buyout), offered by the government to each individual citizen, whereby the citizen can choose to pay a fixed price...

In this sample of 49 Latin America, OECD, and transition economies, it is the ineffective and discretionary administration of tax and regulatory regimes--not higher tax rates alone--as well as corruption, that increases the size of the unofficial economy. And countries with a large unofficial...

That the modern state couldn't exist without taxes is something that doesn't need to be argued to society. It is also acknowledged that tax burden influences not only the budget revenues, but investments, demand and supply, prices and others. All this has direct as well as indirect influence on...