[eggnet]

The OP specifically is advocating for something without loopholes that just looks at top line revenue.

VAT is absolutely not that.

I was illustrating how impossible it is to just look at top line revenue of a corporation.

Also, if by solved you mean prevents double taxing through a production pipeline then sure. But it boils down to a sales tax which in general is regressive compared to typically progressive income tax.

[BerislavLopac]

Yes, I meant the former. I didn't mean the latter since that's your conjecture (three in fact: 1. VAT boils to sales tax; 2. sales tax is regressive; 3. VAT is regressive) that I don't necessarily agree with.