Public Finance
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N5 N6 Public Finance
N5 N6 Public Finance, 86 pages. Read online or get the free PDF download.
Multiple grades86 pages
Study guide, 86 pages. Read online or download the PDF.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of
Public Finance
INTRODUCTION
Public Financial Management is concerned with the management of public
funds or money.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF GOVERNMENTS
All governments are striving towards the realisation of goals. When setting
goals, a governement will consider their ideology and the following:
• The needs of the community;
• The functions by which they strive to realise their goals;
• The nature of public services rendered in order to fulfil their functions;
• The sources of Downloaded
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from services could be financed; and
• The administration and control of such income.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
LAISSEZ-FAIRE
Laissez-faire is French and it means “to allow to do”.
In this ideology, the government does not intervene in the private
economy/social activities of individual citizens or groups – instead it allows a
system of free association with what is today called free market principles.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
GOALS OF THE LAISSEZ-FAIRE SYSTEM
• Maintenance of law and order (protection services);
• Enforcement of contracts by law courts (legal protection);
• Protection of private lives;
• Protection of private property (legal/social protection); and
• Defence of national community against any enemy (protection services).
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
SOCIAL WELFARE GOALS
An ideology of socialism arose in which governments were asked “to
create circumstances within which individuals could develop his/her social
welfare and physical being”. This led to socialism which was based on the
idea that governments were expected to deliver things such as better working
conditions, better pay and more protection.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
SOCIALISM (OR COMMUNISM)
“Socialism is accepted as a system of statism with centrally concentrated and
comprehensive economic/social/physical control of the activities of the
individual to the detriment of individual liberty, where the ownership of all the
factors of production are vested in the government, and where production,
distribution and trade belong to the community and are administered by the
government on behalf of the community.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
THE IDEALOGY OF SOCIALISM
Socialism advocates the transformation of private property into public
property and income provided from such property to be divided in accordance
with individual needs. This amounts to the common ownership of all the
means of production.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF SOCIALISM
1. The abolition of property rights for land and utilisation of all income from rents for public purposes;
2. Abolition of all inheritance rights;
3. Confiscation of all property of immigrants and rebels;
4. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state;
5. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax;
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport to the state;
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state;
8. Equal obligation on all to work;
9.
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Integration of agriculture with manufacturing industries;
10. Free education for all children in public schools.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIALISM
• It does not acknowledge private ownership of production factors;
• Government decides on how production factors shall be employed;
• There is a ban on all capitalist or free market systems;
• Redistribution of income takes place through severe use of taxation;
• Social security benefits are collectively provided for out of progressive tax
sources – to uplift less privileged from
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and
• Government guarantees a minimum standard of living.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
SOCIAL WELFARE STATE
Nations and communities began to seek for some balance between the
extremes: the laissez-faire – where the rich got richer and the most
entrepreneurial took all, with little or no protection of the less privileged; and
socialism – where all remained poor and people had no freedom to decide for
themselves. This resulted in the modern social welfare state.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
ECONOMIC WELFARE STATE AS AN IDEOLOGY
A modern democracy might lean either towards a laissez-faire or towards a
more socialist approach, but in general it attempts to:
• Recognise the individual as important;
• Recognise the state as the servant of the individual who needs to be
assisted in general and personal self-actualisation;
• Practise a free-market system with
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• Create a system which protects the rights of all.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICES
In order to realise their goals, governments have to execute a number of
functions. Generally these functions are classified as:
• Line functions – vertical programme subdivisions, and
• Staff functions – horizontal supporting services.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
LINE FUNCTIONS: VERTICAL
Most authorities recognise the following three types of Government
Functions:
1. Order and Protection Police and Defence
2. Social or National Welfare Health, education, pensions, etc.
3. Economic Welfare Stimulation of the economy using fiscal (tax) and
monetary control (interest rates).from hlayiso.com
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
STAFF FUNCTIONS OR SERVICES: HORIZONTAL
These are supporting functions, contributing to the line functions, in order to
realise the goals of the government of the day. Typical services provided by
people in various positions in offices throughout the country include:
• Financial services;
• Personnel services;
• Office and secretarial service; andfrom hlayiso.com
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• Legal advisory service.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
CLASSIFICATION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Generally speaking we look at and classify three different types of services to
members of the public:
1. Social/Collective or Public Services;
2. Specific/Particular Services;
3. Quasi-Social or Quasi-Particular Services.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
PRIVATISATION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
If a government leans more towards a modern, democratic and capitalist
society, it will probably seek privatisation of national assets. For example, it
might seem logical that many citizens might want to nationalise industries,
such as the gold mines.
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
REASONS FOR PRIVATISATION
The main goal of privatisation is the restructuring and rationalisation of a
country’s economy. This could happen for the following reasons:
• To encourage a policy of private initiative within a market related economy;
• To reduce excessive government spending;
• To lower the financial burden of government; and
• To increase the Downloaded
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N5 Module 1 – Fundamental Principles of Public Finance (continued)
METHODS OF PRIVATISATION
• Contracting out – allowing private individuals to supply services;
• Deregulation – taking away legal/monetary obstacles so that an industry
has no protection against competition from others;
• Depoliticisation – divorcing or separating important services from party
politics.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic
Financial System
ORIGIN OF DEMOCRACY
Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, came up with the idea of democracy in 384-
322 BC.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
THE MAGNA CARTA
This document depicted the Constitutional relationship between the King, the
Common Council and the citizens of England and was signed by King John of
England in 1215.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
The British government expected the people of America to pay them taxes
without giving them any representation in the British Parliament. The
American colonists were deeply unhappy about this and this led to the
American War of Independence.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
The French Revolution was the first largescale revolution during which the
royal family and the aristocracy of France were executed and a
democratically styled government was put in their place. Since then the
modern world, and other communities, have sought to fight for a model which
closely resembled the one fought for in France.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
10 DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES FOR PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
1. No tax can be collected from taxpayers without their consent;
2. Utilisation of public financial resources must satisfy the collective needs;
3. Participatory democracy means direct participation by the taxpayers;
4. Public financial decision-making should be;
5. Only elected political representatives has the authority to introduce taxes;
6. Responsibility of the elected political representatives is owed to taxpayers;
7. Political representatives must be sensitive to the needs of the community;
8. The budget programmes should satisfy the needs of the public;
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Social equity or justice requires integrity;
10. Activities regarding public financial management must take place in public.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
ACCOUNTABILITY
Each political representative should give full account of his/her activities. In a
democracy officials and representatives are called upon to be accountable for
the efficient and effective use of public funds.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
ACCOUNTING
Accounting is the mechanism through which representatives can be
accountable to the public – at the end of the financial year a report on the
financial effects of each department’s activities is compiled.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING IN A PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
Most modern governments attempt to implement at least some of the
principles of participatory democracy into their ideology; this is done through
public meetings, especially on financial matters.
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N5 Module 2 – Guidelines for a Democratic Financial System (continued)
REPRESENTATIVES VERSUS VOTERS
Representatives are chosen to speak, to make decisions on behalf of their
voters – direct participation is difficult and expensive as there are too many
voters; the representative therefore participates on behalf of the voter.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in
the Financing of Public Institutions
THE LEGISLATURE
The legislature is a selected body of people given the power and
responsibility to make laws for the nation.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
PARLIAMENT
Parliament comprises the elected representatives of the people. The
government is accountable to Parliament. In terms of the Constitution,
Parliament could pass a vote of no confidence in the cabinet, including the
President. Parliament also has to decide how to allocate the taxpayers’
money to provide services for the people.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
CABINET
The cabinet consists of the President, as head of the cabinet, the Deputy
President and ministers. The President appoints the Deputy President and
ministers, from among the members of the National Assembly with no more
than two ministers from outside the assembly.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
PARLIAMENT: THE PEOPLE DECIDE
A parliamentary democracy means that every citizen of voting age has the
opportunity to influence the manner in which the country is governed. This
means that, although not every citizen is physically making a decision, the
people are electing the candidates that they think will make the best decisions
for them.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE POWER AND AUTHORITY RELATIONSHIP
Power is the ability of an individual, interest group or the government to exert
influence over another. In politics, authority is the power given to
representatives and government to act on behalf of their voters. In this way
the authority itself is supported by the power given to the government by the
voters themselves.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
VOTERS AND THE LEGISLATURE
The power which the voter holds is given to a government or representatives
in an election during which various parties and individuals present a
manifesto to the public. In a democracy the real power is vested in the voter,
while the authority over public finance rests with the elected representatives
within The Legislature.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
INTEREST GROUPS AND THE LEGISLATURE
An interest group is formed when a number of people feel strongly about
something and wants to make a change. Voters may combine their strength
and put pressure on the government to do something – very often this is
called a pressure group. Interest groups are a communication channel or link
between individual voters and the government.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE IMPOSITION OF TAX
Only The Legislature may impose tax and it also allocates the funds that
arise from taxation. The Legislature may delegate taxing authority to:
• The Legislature at regional level (provincial councils);
• The Legislature at local government level (town councils).
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
The ultimate authority to allocate funds must undoubtedly rest with The
Legislature. When funds are allocated, values are taken away from one group
and given to another group.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL BUDGET
Budgets need to be very carefully planned and presented and the total
income the state enjoys should be fairly and carefully distributed.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
The aim of the redistribution of wealth is to bridge a gap which might have
emerged from an imbalance in wealth of poverty. One way to resolve this is to
tax the wealthy and allot monetary value to the poor. This comes with its own
set of issues, however and can lead to dissatisfaction.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE AUDITOR GENERAL
The Auditor-General is empowered to determine the way in which the
executive authority executes the management of public funds. The person
who holds this office will audit the financial statements of all Accounting
Officers at national, provincial and local levels.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
Once the Auditor-General’s report has been submitted The Legislature needs
to interpret its findings and act upon its recommendations. Few members of
Parliament have the expertise to do this – instead they refer the report to a
standing committee – the Public Accounts Committee.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR
The public protector exists to protect the ordinary citizen. The Public
Protector:
• May summon any person or legal body to give evidence;
• May enter any premises and demand the handing over of all records and
documents for investigation;
• May initiate an investigation
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• Is protected from any insult or slander by any member of the public.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
The task of the executive authority is to control and co-ordinate all
activities related to state spending. In our country, the executive authority is
represented, at central government level by the cabinet and at local
government level, by a committee.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
AT PROVINCIAL LEVEL
The executive council consists of the Premier as head of the council and no
less than five and no more than ten members appointed by the Premier.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
AT LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL
The finance committee has the same responsibilities and functions on local
government level as the cabinet does in the central government. However,
the committee may be dismissed by the local legislature and the principle of
individual and collective responsibility and accountability applies here as it
does at central government level.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
The chairperson of the finance committee is called upon to account for the
proposals, recommendations and financial activities of the committee. They
are expected to adopt and encourage good communication channels between
the finance committee itself and all the other committees, and should be in a
position to exert influence on the chairperson and to persuade them to adopt
the recommendations of the financefrom
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE TREASURY
The Treasury has the power to disapprove of any proposed (ex-anti)
expenditure by any given department should this not be properly motivated.
The Treasury plays a vital role in ensuring that the financial policy is correctly
interpreted and effectively and efficiently executed.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
THE ROLE/FUNCTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY
When we speak of an administrative body in government we refer to various
departments. They are created and run in order to provide the citizens of SA
with certain essential and important services, for example:
• Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries;
• Department of Arts & Culture;
• Department of Basic Education; and
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• Department of Communications.
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N5 Module 3 – Role of the Central Government in the Financing of
Public Institutions (continued)
FINANCIAL CONTROL WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY
There are different members of authority who have control or influence on the
finances, namely:
• The Minister;
• The Auditor-General;
• The Accounting Officers; and
• The Departmental Financial Officers.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the
Expenditure within a State
ALLOCATION AND EXPENDITURE OF INCOME – INCOME OF CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT
Every government must have a particular ideology which will determine not
only how it will govern its people, but also how it will allocate taxing authority
at various levels – those levels being central, provincial and local. The
various levels of government should logically supplement each other in a
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this means that the money
from they collect through taxes and
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the services they provide should not overlap.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
ACCOUNTABILITY
When a vertical relationship exists and the central government allocates
funds to the provincial authority, or when the province allocates funds to a
local authority, the body that donates the funds remains accountable to the
taxpayers.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
SUFFICIENT REVENUE
Each government level should have sufficient revenue to provide the
essential services required, and also those services which the voters might
have demanded during the general or regional election.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
EQUAL DISTRIBUTION
Equal distribution should take place on a vertical level – down from the central
government to the regional and local, and also on a horizontal level –
between regions or local authorities on the same level.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
ACQUISITION OF INCOME
The central government receives its income from the citizens of the country,
from trading itself and also from investment.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
TAX
Tax can come from:
• Income tax from taxpayers (personal income tax);
• Interest on dividends received by investors;
• Customs and excise duties;
• Value-added tax (VAT);
• Tax on foreign shareholders; tax on profits;
• Fringe benefits tax;
• Tax on international trade transactions;
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• Airport tax.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
DETERMINATION OF FINANCIAL NEEDS
There exist a number of criteria used to determine the financial needs that a
community might have:
• Ideal criterion: the desirable minimum levels of service is determined as
well as the cost to supply such a service minimum;
• Average criterion: according to which the financial need is measured in
terms of rendering an average standard
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
DETERMINATION OF FINANCIAL CAPACITY
Several criteria can determine the financial capacity of a community:
• Per capita income of a community;
• The revenue potential of an ideal tax system;
• Representative revenue system – financial capacity of the government is
regarded as the potential revenue which may be collected within a certain
demarcated area or region.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
DIVISION OF SOURCES OF INCOME
The logical allocation of functions goes hand in hand with the rational or
logical allocation of revenue sources. This means that there is an attempt to
allow the authority who is most capable of providing services to also be
responsible for generating income.
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N5 Module 4 – The Generation of Income and the Expenditure within a
State (continued)
REVENUE SHARING
Revenue sharing means that a specific government body has the authority to
tax a community and collect revenue; then to distribute this revenue,
according to a formula, amongst various levels of government either
horizontally or vertically.
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N6 Module 1 – Government Revenue
INTRODUCTION
Whatever the government earns, it’s money out of your pocket. However, this
does not mean that they derive their income solely from taxation – there are
times when grants, donations and loans make up their income needs – in
other words they are forced to ask for aid, or to borrow money to balance
their budget.
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N6 Module 1 – Government Revenue (continued)
SOURCES OF INCOME
Taxation is the main source of income for most governments; and there is
only one aim in acquiring this source of income: to gather enough funds to
pay for services expected by the taxpayers of a country or a region.
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N6 Module 1 – Government Revenue (continued)
ECONOMIC REGULATORY FUNCTION
A government may use taxation in order to “cool” down the economy; by
taking away more from people, citizens have less to spend and this has the
effect of regulating the economy, generally by lowering inflation – when
spending declines, inflation nearly always drops also.
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N6 Module 1 – Government Revenue (continued)
REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
Whenever a system of taxation is employed, redistribution of wealth can
automatically take place. This means that a low-income earner will enjoy the
same protection from the defence force or benefit from medical services,
having paid a smaller percentage of his/her income than a wealthier person.
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N6 Module 1 – Government Revenue (continued)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TAX
• Taxation is Compulsory; and
• There is an absence of Quid Pro Quo – a taxpayer cannot expect to
receive measurable value for each unit of currency paid over in the form of
taxation.
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N6 Module 1 – Government Revenue (continued)
TYPES OF TAXATION
Taxes may be:
• Direct such as:
• Income tax; and
• Wealth; or
• Indirect such as:
• VAT; andDownloaded from hlayiso.com
• Excise duty.
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N6 Module 2 – Characteristics and Functions of
the Government Budget
TENSIONS
Tension exists in the sense that the political aspirations of a group of people
might conflict radically with acceptable economic norms. For example,
although a minister of finance might want to build seven new dams to supply
his voters/citizens with water, economic common sense might dictate that the
country can only afford two.
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N6 Module 2 – Characteristics and Functions of the Government Budget
(continued)
PROTECTION OF CITIZENS
The budget is a guideline, and enforceable so it protects the citizen because
appointed officials are then expected to act according to the wishes of the
legislative authorities.
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N6 Module 2 – Characteristics and Functions of the Government Budget
(continued)
POLICY DIRECTION
The most important characteristics of a budget policy are:
• It is enforceable;
• It reflects the political aspirations of the government of the day;
• It attempts to obey and take sound economic considerations;
• It attempts to satisfy tensions;
• It reflects the fiscal policy of the government;
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• It clearly outline a hierarchy of authority.
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N6 Module 2 – Characteristics and Functions of the Government Budget
(continued)
FUNCTIONS OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET
• Reflect policy; • Control expenditure;
• Be a source of information; • Promote accountability.
• Promote redistribution of wealth;
• Regulate the economy;
• Detail an operating programme;
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• Co-ordinate and integrate from hlayiso.com
activities;
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government
Budget
INTRODUCTION
A budget can be described as a financial statement which contains the
estimates of revenue and expenditure over a certain period of time.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
BUDGET CONCEPTS
Revenue: the source of funds;
Expenditure: the spending of funds;
Capital expenditure: spending on infrastructure or services which last longer
than a current year;
Operational/current expenditure: the funds needed to run a department;
Policy directives:Downloaded
the reflection of the overall
from policy of the government
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of the day.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
BUDGET FOR CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – THE ANNUAL BUDGET
The budget programme is directed towards satisfying the needs and
demands of the public – they might be educational, safety or protection
needs. The cycle itself may be divided into the following phases: the
preparation phase; approval, execution and control.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
TYPES OF BUDGETS
There are two different budgets, namely:
• The Revenue Budget, showing expected income or revenue; and
• The Expenditure Budget showing proposals for expenditure by the
executive authority.
These two budgets are drafted independently.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
THE REVENUE BUDGET
The State Revenue Fund is the fund into which all income is paid. There are
two receivers of revenue – the Commissioner of Inland Revenue (SARS) and
the Commissioner of Customs and Excise. They draft their own separate
revenue budgets which are then combined into the Budget of Revenue.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET
This forms the main part of the budget which is read and tabled in Parliament
every year in March.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE
The principles which apply to the central government should apply to the
provincial authorities as well.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
PROVINCIAL REVENUE
At a provincial level, the following are the main sources of income at present:
• National Government Grants;
• Taxation; and
• Levies and General Activities.
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N6 Module 3 – Compilation of a Government Budget (continued)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE
Compared to the budget at a national level, the following applies for local
authorities:
• Capital budgets and operational budgets are drafted separately;
• The expenditure and revenue budgets are drafted together;
• There is only one main budget;
• A budget vote listing programmesfrom
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• No distinction between collective, particular and quasi-collective services.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting
SEPARATE CAPITAL BUDGETS
While the capital budget might be drafted separately, the two work hand in
hand to provide a financial plan for realising an objective in the provision of
public services. Drafting a separate budget might be advantageous for the
following reasons:
• It allows equitable Financing
• It has a stabilising Effect and;
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• It provides Greater Control.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
THE PROCESS OF CAPITAL BUDGETING
Capital Development Programme: A list of essential capital projects for a
period of time is drawn up. Certain criteria are used to prioritise projects:
• High priority for original construction or for essential extensions.
• Desirable completion.
• Useful completion.
• Dispensable completion.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
When doing a financial analysis is important to consider the following:
• There should be enough money for extensions;
• New loans cannot be taken out if the tax base only just covers the
repayments for existing loans. The possible growth in the tax base is also
taken in account.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
OPERATING BUDGET
If a project is financed by using a loan the following three items will have to
appear on the operating budget:
• Loan repayments;
• Operating costs; and
• Maintenance.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
IMPACT ON TAX AND USER CHARGES
Whether the project is financed from revenue within one year, or whether
loans are made over a number of years, taxpayers will be directly affected.
Not only will the tax base have to cope with the repayments, but it will also
have to provide operating expenses and maintenance. Added to this will be
the user charges or tariffs.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
BUDGET ISSUES AND PROBLEMS
Issues might arise in the following fields or owing to the following reasons:
Political consideration;
• Purchasing of capital assets;
• Factors related to community needs, technological changes, cost
escalations and other projects; and
• Volatile domestic economies.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
INTERNAL CAPITAL SOURCES
Both capital expenditure and operating expenditure are financed from the
State Revenue Fund into which all taxes and other sources of revenue are
paid. Finance for capital projects may be financed from external loans or from
internal revenue such as taxes.
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N6 Module 4 – Capital Budgeting (continued)
FORMAT FOR CAPITAL BUDGETS
If a capital budget be drafted separately the following should be included:
• A budget vote for each service;
• The details of the costs of the project appears under each sub-vote for
each capital project of a budget vote;
• Financial sources.
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