Arbeitspapier
Optimal Commodity Taxation and Income Distribution
We consider the interplay between income distribution and optimal commodity taxation, linking equity issues to optimal taxes through the effect of income distribution on market demand and its price elasticity. We find conditions to conciliate the equity and efficiency tradeoff and to assess the impact of inequality changes on the optimal taxation of necessity and luxury goods. We show that the regressivity or progressivity of the tax system is determined by the distribution of luxuries and necessities in the economy. If the tax system is regressive (progressive), a decrease (increase) of income inequality leads to an average decrease of the optimal tax rates, achieving welfare gains for society. Our analysis provides a framework to investigate the linkages between direct and indirect taxation.
- Language
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Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
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Series: Quaderni - Working Paper DSE ; No. 1001
- Classification
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Wirtschaft
Taxation and Subsidies: Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
Consumer Economics: Theory
- Event
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Geistige Schöpfung
- (who)
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Benassi, Corrado
Randon, Emanuela
- Event
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Veröffentlichung
- (who)
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Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche (DSE)
- (where)
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Bologna
- (when)
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2015
- DOI
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doi:10.6092/unibo/amsacta/4227
- Handle
- Last update
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20.09.2024, 8:21 AM CEST
Data provider
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Object type
- Arbeitspapier
Associated
- Benassi, Corrado
- Randon, Emanuela
- Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche (DSE)
Time of origin
- 2015