Taxes appeared at the time of the creation the first civilized societies and have remained the main driver of economic growth and development to this day. Throughout history, taxes and their forms have continuously changed and developed. In today's world, taxes are essential for the political and socio-economic life of modern countries. They collect revenues to achieve financial goals, that is, financing expenditures. Taxes are significant for public finances because they fill the state coffers by collecting taxes from community members and thus satisfy general needs. The tax system reflects the totality of taxes in force in a particular country. It is an indicator of the social picture of a specific society, its economic strength, and its competitiveness. It represents a highly complex mechanism that is specific and unique for each country. The tax system of the Republic of Croatia is based on equality and fairness, is harmonized according to the guidelines of the European Union, and has many similarities with the tax systems of other member countries. Also, it is characterized by plurality; that is, it contains several tax forms. The tax system of the Republic of Croatia consists of state taxes, county taxes, city or municipal taxes, joint taxes, and taxes on winnings from games of chance and fees for organizing games of chance. Value-added tax, profit tax, and income tax take on different values in different European Union member countries. The Republic of Croatia is trying to introduce changes in tax laws and harmonize them with the good practices of member countries, but taxes still need to be higher and in line with the standard of living.