Arbeitspapier

Is a flat tax feasible in a grown-up welfare state?

The success of the flat rate tax in Eastern Europe suggests that this concept could also be a model for the welfare states of Western Europe. The present paper uses a simulation model to analyse the effects of revenue neutral flat rate tax reforms on equity and efficiency for the case of Germany. We find that a flat rate tax with a low tax rate and a low basic allowance yields positive static welfare effects amounting to approximately 1.8 per cent of income tax revenue but increases income inequality. The increase in income inequality can be avoided by combining a higher tax rate with a higher basic allowance. But in this case the efficiency gains vanish. We conclude that, due to their limited efficiency effects and their problematic distributional impact, flat tax reforms are unlikely to spill over to the welfare states of Western Europe.

Sprache
Englisch

Erschienen in
Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 3142

Klassifikation
Wirtschaft
Thema
Flat tax reform
equity
efficiency
distribution
welfare
Flat Tax
Steuerwirkung
Steuerinzidenz
Wohlfahrtseffekt
Soziale Gerechtigkeit
Theorie
Deutschland

Ereignis
Geistige Schöpfung
(wer)
Fuest, Clemens
Peichl, Andreas
Schaefer, Thilo
Ereignis
Veröffentlichung
(wer)
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
(wo)
Bonn
(wann)
2007

Handle
Letzte Aktualisierung
10.03.2025, 11:42 MEZ

Datenpartner

Dieses Objekt wird bereitgestellt von:
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. Bei Fragen zum Objekt wenden Sie sich bitte an den Datenpartner.

Objekttyp

  • Arbeitspapier

Beteiligte

  • Fuest, Clemens
  • Peichl, Andreas
  • Schaefer, Thilo
  • Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Entstanden

  • 2007

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