Assessing and Tax Accounting Principles in the German Civil and Commercial Code and the Impact on Tax Compliance

The author outlines the development of accounting and assessing principles in Germany. He presents the poor regulations at the beginning and shows the thoroughly improved rulings after the middle of the 19th century as a result of specific problems caused by the revolutionized taxation sytem after priority was shifted from indirect excise duties to direct new income taxation. The author shows the impact of accounting problems and the development of modern accounting principles originated by the political events. He outlines the gradual formation of extraordinary deficiencies of the German legal accounting principles compared with the ideal goal of all accounting. The author demonstrates the difficulties, which brought about a different historical economic development beween German and Anglo-Saxon accounting principles. He shows the obstacles the harmonisation activities are facing and the endeavours to support globalisation.