1. Paresh Kr. Sarma HoD, Department of Economics Mangaldai College
Public Finance
Paresh Kr. Sarma HoD, Department of Economics Mangaldai College

2. CONTENTS Public Finance Public Revenue Taxation Objectives of taxation
Canons of taxation
Classification of taxation
Taxable capacity
Significance of taxable capacity
Factors determining taxable capacity

3. What is Public Finance?
According to Dalton,’ Public finance is the branch of knowledge which is concerned with the income and expenditure of public authorities and with the adjustment of one to another.’ It deals with the study of revenue and expenditure of the government at the centre, state and local bodies.
The public authorities have to perform various functions such as maintenance of law an order, provision of defence, production for bringing in economic development. The performance of these functions require large amount of funds which is raised through taxes, fees, fines, commercial revenues and loans.

4. Public Revenue
This is one of the branches of public finance. It deals with the various sources from which the state might derive its income. These sources include incomes from taxes, commercial revenues in the form of prices of goods and services supplied by public enterprises, administrative revenues in the form of fees, fines etc and gifts and grants.

5. Difference between Public revenue and Public receipts
Public revenue includes that income which is not subject to repayment by the government. Public receipts include all the income of the government including public borrowing and issue of new currency. In this way public revenue is a part of public receipts.
Public Receipts = Public revenue + Public borrowing + issue of new currency

6. Sources of Public Revenue
Public revenue can be categorized into
1.Tax revenue and
2.Non-tax revenue

7. Taxation
The most important source of revenue of the government is taxes. The act of levying taxes is called taxation.
A tax is a compulsory charge or payment imposed by government on individuals or corporations.
The persons who are taxed have to pay the taxes irrespective of any corresponding return from the goods or services by the government.

8. Objectives of Taxes Raising Revenue
Regulation of Consumption and Production
Encouraging Domestic Industries
Stimulating Investment
Reducing Income Inequalities
Promoting Economic Growth
Development of Backward Regions
Ensuring Price Stability

9. Canons of Taxation
A good tax system is should based on some principles.
Adam Smith has formulated four important principles of taxation.
A few more have been suggested by various other economists.
These principles which a good tax system should follow are called canons of taxation.

10. Adam Smith’s four canons of taxation
Canon of Equality
Canon of Certainty
Canon of Convenience
Canon of Economy

11. Canon of Equality Canon of Certainty
This states that persons should be taxed according to their ability to pay taxes. That is why this principle is also known as the canon of ability. Equality does not mean equal amount of tax, but equality in tax burden. Canon of equality implies a progressive tax system.
Canon of Certainty
According to this canon, the tax which each individual is required to pay should be certain and not arbitrary. The time of payment, the manner of payment and the amount to be paid should be clear to every tax payer. The application of this principle is beneficial both to the government as well as to the tax payer.

12. Canon of Convenience Canon of Economy
According to this canon, the mode and timings of tax payment should be convenient to the tax payer. It means that the taxes should be imposed in such a manner and at the time which is most convenient for the tax payer. For example, government of India collects the income tax at the time when they receive their salaries. So this principle is also known as ‘the pay as you earn method’.
Canon of Economy
Every tax has a cost of collection. The canon of economy implies that the cost of tax collection should be minimum.

13. Types of Tax Direct Tax Indirect tax
Taxes can be classified into various types on the basis of form,nature,aim and method of taxation. the most common and traditional classification is to classify into direct and indirect taxes.
Direct Tax
Indirect tax

14. Direct taxes
A direct tax is that tax whose burden is borne by the same person on whom it is levied. The ultimate burden of taxation falls on the person on whom the tax is levied. It is based on the income and property of a person. Thus income tax, corporation tax on company’s profits, property tax, capital gains tax, wealth tax etc are examples of direct taxes.
Indirect taxes
An indirect tax is that tax which is initially paid by one individual, but the burden of which is passed over to some other individual who ultimately bears it. It is levied on the expenditure of a person. Excise duty, sales tax, custom duties etc are examples of indirect taxes.

15. Tax Rate Schedule
On the basis of degree of progression of tax, it may be classified into:
Proportional tax
Progressive tax
Regressive tax
Degressive tax

16. Proportional tax Progressive tax
A tax is called proportional when the rate of taxation remains constant as the income of the tax payer increases. In this system all incomes are taxed at a single uniform rate, irrespective of whether tax payer’s income is high or low. The tax liability increases in absolute terms, but the proportion of income taxed remains the same.
Progressive tax
When the rate of taxation increases as the tax payer’s income increases, it is called a progressive tax. In this system, the rate of tax goes on increasing with every increase in income.

17. Regressive taxation Degressive taxation
A regressive tax is one in which the rate of taxation decreases as the tax payer’s income increases. Lower income is taxed at a higher rate, whereas higher income is taxed at a lower rate. However absolute tax liability may increase.
Degressive taxation
A tax is called degressive when the rate of progression in taxation does not increase in the same proportion as the increase in income. In this case, the rate of tax increases upto a certain limit, after that a uniform rate is charged. Thus degressive tax is a combination of progressive and proportional taxation. This type of taxation is often used in case of income tax. This is the case of income tax in India as well.

18. Taxable Capacity
Taxable capacity means the maximum amount which a nation can contribute towards the support of the government without inflicting damage on the power and will to produce. In the words of Sir Josiah Stamp:   “Taxable capacity is that maximum amount which the community is in a position to bear towards the expenses of public authorities without having a really unhappy and! down-trodden existence and without dislocating the economic, organization too much".

19. Taxable Capacity
Taxable capacity is normally used into two senses; 1. Absolute Taxable Capacity and 2.Relative Taxable Capacity.

20. absolute taxable capacity
The absolute taxable capacity indicates the amount of money or the proportion of national income that can be taken away by the government from people in the form of taxes without producing unfavorable effects. The concept of absolute taxable capacity is not to be assumed as a constant entity.

21. relative taxable capacity
Relative taxable capacity provides us a comprehensive analysis of taxable capacities of different taxpayers, groups of taxpayers or dif­ferent nations. In a sense, it refers to the taxable capacity of one community as compared to that of another community.

22. SIGNIFCANCE OF taxable capacity
Knowledge of taxable capacity is of immense use to the government and fiscal theorists for budget planning and resource mobilization. 
 idea about taxable capacity helps the government in allocating tax burden rationally among dif­ferent sections of the community, especially between rich and poor.
The knowledge of taxable capacity is useful for mobilizing economic resources needed for financing development projects.
The knowledge of taxable capacity is of immense use, during extraordinary situation like war.
Moreover, knowledge about the limit of taxable capacity prevents the government from imposing necessary taxes which will hamper productive system of the economy.

23. FACTORS Determining TAXABLE CAPACITY
Size of the National Income The taxable capacity of a country primarily depends on its size of a national income which in turn on the proper use of natural resources, skill, technology, investment pattern.

24. FACTORS DETERMINing TAXABLE CAPACITY
Size and rate of growth of population Size and rate of population affects the taxable capacity to a great extent. The larger the population the lower the taxable capacity. Countries like india and china have a lower taxable capacity because of high population.

25. FACTORS DETERMINing TAXABLE CAPACITY
Distribution of income and wealth The distribution of income and wealth also influence the taxable capacity of the people. If the wealth and income is unequally distributed, taxable capacity is high because it will be easy for the government to raise the bulk of revenue.

26. FACTORS DETERMINing TAXABLE CAPACITY
Stability and growth of income Taxable capacity of the country will be lower if there are economic fluctuations with serious ups and downs especially during the period of depression.

27. FACTORS DETERMINing TAXABLE CAPACITY
Pattern of taxation Taxable capacity depends upon the pattern and method of taxation. If the tax system is well planned and broad based, it will bring more revenue, similarly if it observes the canons of economy and convenience, taxable capacity will certainly be greater.   Purpose of taxation The purpose of taxation has to do much with the extent of taxable capacity.

28. FACTORS DETERMINing TAXABLE CAPACITY
 Nature of public expenditure The nature of public expenditure also determines the extents of taxable capacity. When it is used on productive projects, it increases the wealth of the country which in turn increases the taxable capacity.

29. FACTORS DETERMINing TAXABLE CAPACITY
Psychology of taxpayer Psychology of taxpayer plays a vital role to determine the taxable capacity of a country. Incase the people are psychology depressed; the taxable capacity will be reduced automatically.

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