PSP (& another matter)
Yes Danny, PSP had its imperfections but as a temporary airfield surfacing medium it was brilliant - hard wearing, relatively easy to lay and drained well (important in monsoon-prone areas). For sure, it lingered on too long in some places (Changi up to 1950, i.e.), while its loud clanging at each impact would signal a poorly executed landing to all within earshot!
Re VAT: you make a convincing case for it, but to the ordinary citizen it has one gross iniquity - the manner in which it contrives to levy an additional tax on top of another already applied. Take petrol & diesel, already loaded with a heavy impost in the form of excise but then has VAT levied on the sum of basic price + duty - talk about two bites at the same cherry!