1. Introduction

This is a lecture on fiscal policy, legislation, organization and management in the XXI century. A glance at the future –specially in the long-term– allows us to feel less restraint before desirable changes than when focusing strictly on the present, being blinded by everyday frustrations and the restrictions. But the fiscal policy does not exist on its own, even though the taxpayers often have the idea that tax increase has become an aim in itself. The fiscal policy and the fiscal burden do not constitute aims in themselves but they are means for an aim which, at the same time, is determined by the type of society we wish to live in.

The task which has been assigned to me in this opening speech is precisely to describe the type of society which could or should arise in the XXI century. There are various ways of doing so. One is to observe the current trends and the society that we would have if these trends continued in the future. Another way is to correct the image that is presented to us by any given extrapolation and to introduce political considerations (that is to say normatives) so that our future society may approach an advisable situation for most people.

Therefore, I have a difficult task before me and I wish to deal with the issue by dividing it into three sections:

I. current economic, social and organizational trends.
II. necessary political initiatives; and
III. some examples where the changes in the fiscal policies could be significant.