A good tax system is like the proverbial elephant; difficult to define, easy to recognise. Beyond the traditional reduction, namely that a country deserves a tax system which looks as though it was designed to be that way, there is broad agreement that a good tax system will display certainty, simplicity, stability and transparency.

In the transparency game, the first responsibility lies with legislators. Pretty well any tax proposal will have winners and losers so it is in the self-interest of legislators that tax systems should be transparent.