Abstract: The subject of this article is the tax system. Within the scope of the research, the author examines the elements of the tax system during the process of their creation and development in Russia. Functioning of any, even the most primitive state, is impossible without the tax system. In order to understand the essence of the tax system, it is necessary to trace back its evolution since it was created and up to the present time. The author of the article analyzes the development of the elements of the tax system at different stages of historical development of our country, from the times of Kievan Rus to the 90's of the last century. The author has used the following research methods: analysis and synthesis; theoretical analysis; grouping and systematization; and the graphical method. The results of the analysis has allowed the author to establish the fact that the elements of the tax system defined by the author are fundamental and have remained unchanged throughout centuries. Moreover, the tax system of modern Russia has the same problems and shortcomings that it had in the 17th-18th centuries.

Abstract: The main trends in the taxation policy of the late 20th – the early 21st centuries are the intention of governments to optimize their tax systems and minimize the state’s expenses in tax collection; decreasing the tax burden with the help of tax privileges for attracting foreign investments to the country and for creating new industrial technologies, as well as supporting small businesses, and creation of interconnected and integral systems of taxation with mechanisms for evading double taxation. The world’s most developed economies have much experience in this sphere, because their tax systems in their current versions were formed in the 1960s – 1970s. However, in Russia, because of a number of reasons of political character, the current tax system started to form only in the very end of the 20th century and is still transforming. In connection with that, the author analyzes the tax systems of the world’s most developed economies, and makes conclusions and suggestions for perfecting Russia’s tax system.
In this article, the author uses the methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as the graphic method. Thus, the author comes to the conclusion that in developed economies, the dominating form of taxation is direct taxation with high incremental tax rates and a broad system of tax privileges and exemptions. The level of tax rates of the main budget revenue generating taxes in the world’s most economically developed countries is much higher than the rates of corresponding taxes in Russia. The author also pays close attention to the strong regulative and investment components of the tax systems of economically developed countries. Meanwhile, in Russia, there are practically no privileges for stimulating the investments of enterprises in their own productive activities. The corresponding decrees of the Russian government have only the character of selective aid to concrete innovation companies.

Abstract: The article analyzes the transformation of the main budget tax rates in Russia, such as VAT and income tax, with respect to their tax base. The tax rate does not indicate the actual level of tax burden on the taxpayer. In order to determine it, the tax rate should be considered in conjunction with the tax base. Determination of the tax base for VAT levied in foreign trade and in the domestic market under the Tax Code indicates that the tax rate significantly exceeds the rate claimed by the legislator for a given type of tax. The methodology used in the research includes analysis, synthesis as well as a graphical method. The author concludes that the VAT rate of 18% is not an indicator of the actual level of value added tax since Russia has moved away from the taxation of value added. Moreover, incorrectly determined tax base for levying VAT entails an error in calculating the income tax.