The role of taxation in the transformation of the Japanese
Economy Introduction Before the Meiji restoration under the
feudal Tokugawa Shogunate, taxation was mainly a tool for
warfare and military power. The system was highly
regressive and pressed lightly on the rich and profit-earners.
It was calculated to preserve a very unequal distribution on
incomes and to stimulate the accumulation of private capital.
This tendency somehow continued and was magnified before
W.W.II when direct taxation was introduced for a more
equal and balanced system. However, the Meiji restoration
did bring with it tremendous changes to the tax system and
the use of the revenues. The Japanese government has since
had an active participation in the economy, yet not
controlling it directly but rather through market mechanisms.
It took responsibility for promoting economic growth by
using incentives and taxes collected in an effective way. The
often cited goal of taxation in western countries......
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