The book begins with a general analysis of the economic effects of taxes. It stresses that they diminish incentives to create, to work, to save or to invest. It also stresses the fact that it is not sufficient to care about the overall burden of taxation in a country, but that it is necessary to do a rigorous analysis of the details and effects of specific taxes.

This work is based on rigorous economic theory, and it is a perfect resource for professors and scholars of economics, as well as journalists and politicians worldwide. The author does not use an overly technical approach however, and thus the book is readily accessible to all readers interested in the topic of taxation.