[Sharlin]

You can't compare VAT to income tax, they are very different beasts. And yes, although I can't speak for the GP, in Finland (and other Nordic countries) other taxes are high as well. Not that I'm necessarily complaining, although VAT as a concept certainly has its problems.

[humanrebar]

For the purposes of comparing the effects on the individual taxpayers, it seems fair to me. Structural differences aside, a 24% VAT sounds great if there are no other taxes and there is some deduction or subsidy to counteract its regressive effects.