Arbeitspapier
The Equal-Sacrifice Social Welfare Function with an Application to Optimal Income Taxation
We propose and axiomatically characterize a family of welfare criteria that prioritize individuals making larger sacrifices. By combining efficiency with a concern for equality of sacrifice, our criteria avoid serious shortcomings of utilitarianism. We illustrate our results within the Mirrleesian optimal taxation framework. Our simulated equal-sacrifice optimal tax schedule for the US has marginal tax rates in line with the US tax system and about 20 percentage points lower than the utilitarian recommendation.
- Language
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Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
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Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 8505
- Classification
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Wirtschaft
Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
Taxation and Subsidies: Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
General Welfare; Well-Being
- Subject
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equal-sacrifice principle
optimal income taxation
welfare criterion
- Event
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Geistige Schöpfung
- (who)
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Berg, Kristoffer
Piacquadio, Paolo Giovanni
- Event
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Veröffentlichung
- (who)
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Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESifo)
- (where)
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Munich
- (when)
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2020
- Handle
- Last update
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10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET
Data provider
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Object type
- Arbeitspapier
Associated
- Berg, Kristoffer
- Piacquadio, Paolo Giovanni
- Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESifo)
Time of origin
- 2020