With an accessible style and clear structure, Miranda Stewart explains how taxation finances government in the twenty-first century, exploring tax law in its historical, economic, and social context. Today, democratic tax states face an array of challenges, including the changing nature of work, the digitalisation and globalisation of the economy, and rebuilding after the fiscal crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stewart demonstrates the centrality of taxation for government budgets and explains key tax principles of equity, efficiency and administration. Presenting examples from a wide range of jurisdictions and international developments, Stewart shows how tax policy and law operate in our everyday lives, ranging from family and working life to taxing multinational enterprises in the global digital economy. Employing an interdisciplinary approach to the history and future of taxation law and policy, this is a valuable resource for legal scholars, practitioners and policy makers.

‘Miranda Stewart's outstanding book is unique in providing a broad overview of taxation in the 21st century, with an emphasis on how tax shapes the relationship between a democratic state and its citizens. It should be read not just by tax specialists but by anyone who is interested in the crucial challenges globalization poses to maintaining sovereignty, democracy and the social insurance safety net.’

Reuven S. Avi-Yonah - Irwin I. Cohn Professor of Law, University of Michigan

‘Tax will always be with us, even as dizzying change envelops the world economy. Miranda Stewart provides an accessible and lively guide that is both a terrific introduction and a sophisticated, up-to-the-minute picture of the challenges that all tax systems will have to confront.’

Joel Slemrod - David Bradford Distinguished University Professor of Economics, Paul W. McCracken Collegiate Professor of Business Economics, University of Michigan

‘Tax and Government is a treatise I’ll keep on my desk. Stewart has paired a thorough description of tax fundamentals with an analysis of some of the this era’s most interesting and pressing issues in tax system design.’

Kim Brooks - Dean, Faculty of Management, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, Dalhousie University

‘Miranda Stewart delivers a thoughtful analysis of the challenges facing states who are used to stable finance in a changing world and produces a unique optimistic perspective of the 21st century struggles of such states, tying their chances of continuing success with a new, fairer, and more equitable social contract.’

Yariv Brauner - Hugh Culverhouse Eminent Scholar Chair in Taxation and Professor of Law, Levin College of Law, University of Florida

‘Sweeping in its scope, Stewart’s book provides a broad introduction to the history, sociology, economics, politics, and law of taxation. It will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in developments in tax policy, and especially useful for university courses in tax policy and public finance.’

David G. Duff - Professor and Director Tax LLM Program, Peter A. Allard School of Law, The University of British Columbia

‘Miranda Stewart offers a very complete, accessible and enlightening presentation of the fundamental challenges of domestic and international tax policy in the 21st century. A must-read both for students and for experienced tax lawyers and academics who believe that taxation carries essential values for a better future.’

Daniel Gutmann - Professor at the Sorbonne Law School, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

‘Miranda Stewart gives us a kaleidoscopic view on taxation, displaying a both wise and bold combination of disciplines, such as law, economics, political science, ethics and history. Accessible and erudite, written by a major figure of the international tax debate, with a genuine understanding of the tax dynamics in America, Europe and in the Asia-Pacific region, this unique of its kind book will give the reader all what she or he would have liked to know about the past, the present or the future of taxation.’

Edoardo Traversa - Professor of Tax Law and European Law, Faculty of Law and Criminology, School of European Studies at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)

‘In Tax and Government, Miranda Stewart provides an outstanding, lucid, comprehensive, and fair-minded overview of where tax systems around the world stand in our present troubled times, how they got there, and what main issues they face in the near future.’

Daniel N. Shaviro - Wayne Perry Professor of Taxation, New York University

‘This ambitious and wide-ranging book is essential reading for those seeking to understand tax law and policy today. Professor Stewart draws on history, legal, economic and social approaches to matters fiscal and connects the perennial issues of fairness and revenue adequacy on issues ranging from taxation of work and family, private savings of high wealth individuals, and corporate taxation in today’s unstable era of international taxation. It provides a thorough grounding in essential literature across a wide range of disciplines, systematically drawing together the challenges for 21st century challenges for successful financing of governments by taxation.’

Richard J. Vann - Challis Professor of Law, University of Sydney

‘From domestic family taxation to the international allocation of multinational profits, from the heights of political theory to the nitty-gritty of tax legislation - this book presents a holistic view of the fiscal state in the 21st century, addressing the challenges for democracy, economy and government in a globalised world.’

Wolfgang Schön - Managing Director, Max-Planck-Institut für Steuerrecht und Öffentliche Finanzen

‘Miranda Stewart's new book is a nuanced and intriguing analysis of the tax state at a crossroad. Tax and Government weaves together insights from sociology, history, public finance, and political science with a careful analysis of legal concepts. A must read for anyone who wants to think seriously about tax law and theory.’

Tsilly Dagan - Professor of Taxation Law, Oxford University

‘Professor Stewart has succeeded in this book, in drawing together deep historical, legal, institutional and economic perspectives on tax law and policy in modern tax states, bringing new insights into the fundamental challenge of effective and fair taxation in the 21st century. The book is erudite and accessible, drawing on essential literature, and addressing fundamental questions on all facets of tax systems, ranging from the taxation of work and family, to business and corporate taxation, tax compliance and the new international regime.’

Peter Harris - Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge

‘In a book that is both meticulous in detail and expansive in scope, Stewart integrates historical experience, time-honoured tax principles and tax complexity to chart evocatively the evolution of tax systems. With insight and impartiality, Stewart offers policy makers and activists alike the breadth of vision and depth of knowledge needed for tax reform that underpins sustainable good governance and global social justice. A book connoisseurs must read and novices will savour.’

Valerie Braithwaite - Professor, Regulatory Institutions Network, School of Regulation and Global Governance

‘The book is valuable to tax scholarship in its coverage of tax concepts and principles, supported by its extensive literature review … The pedagogical guidance provided in Part I is useful to policymakers in particular but has an instructive appeal more generally.’

Michael D’Ascenzo Source: British Tax Review

‘… the book is a well-structured and well-written treatise on a subject area that is usually spared the critical academic eye … The points made are insightful, clear, and well-articulated … It is an unmissable addition to the library of anybody who wishes to stay well-informed about the underlying issues in tax law and beyond.’

Michał Chodorowski Source: Edinburgh Law Review