Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

Flat Income Taxation, Redistribution and Labour Market Performance

A flat tax rate on labour income has gained popularity in European countries. This paper assesses the attractiveness of such a flat tax in achieving redistributive objectives with the smallest distortions to employment. We do so by using a detailed applied general equilibrium model for the Netherlands. The model is empirically grounded in the data and encompasses decisions on hours worked, labour force participation, skill formation, wage bargaining between unions and firms, and a wide variety of institutional details. The simulations suggest that the replacement of the current tax system in the Netherlands by a flat rate will harm labour market performance if aggregate income inequality is contained. Only flat tax reforms that reduce redistribution will raise employment. This finding bolsters the notions from optimal tax literature regarding the equity-efficiency trade off and the superiority of non-linear taxes to obtain redistributive goals in an efficient way.

Flat Income Taxation, Redistribution and Labour Market Performance

Urheber*in: Mooij, Ruud de; Jacobs, Bas; Folmer, Kees

Free access - no reuse

ISSN
1466-4283
Extent
Seite(n): 3209-3220
Language
Englisch
Notes
Status: Postprint; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

Bibliographic citation
Applied Economics, 42(25)

Subject
Wirtschaft
Wirtschaftspolitik
Volkswirtschaftstheorie

Event
Geistige Schöpfung
(who)
Mooij, Ruud de
Jacobs, Bas
Folmer, Kees
Event
Veröffentlichung
(when)
2009

DOI
URN
urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-242000
Rights
GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
Last update
21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST

Data provider

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Object type

  • Zeitschriftenartikel

Associated

  • Mooij, Ruud de
  • Jacobs, Bas
  • Folmer, Kees

Time of origin

  • 2009

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