IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aiy/jnljtr/v7y2021i3p244-254.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How the proportional income taxation increases inequality in Bulgaria

Author

Listed:
  • Stoyan Tanchev

Abstract

The proportional income tax is popular in countries of Central and East Europe and 14 CEE countries adopted it with different tax rates from 1994 till 2008 year. But four of them have replaced it with the progressive tax yet. The main criticisms towards the proportional income tax is that it leads to an increase of the inequality after taxation. The article aims to evaluate the impact of the proportional income tax without non-taxable minimum on inequality in Bulgaria, measured by the Gini index. The relationship between the Gini index and the growth rates of GDP per capita, the gross average income and net average income was studied. The methods of Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and correlation were applied to determine the impact of proportional income tax on income inequality in Bulgaria. The research covers the period from 2008 till 2019. National statistical institute of Bulgaria data (12 observations) has been used. The empirical results confirm positive relationship between Gini index and the growth rates of GDP per capita, the gross average income and net average income in system of proportional income tax. Inequality in Bulgaria had increased by 22% after introducing the proportional income tax in 2008, the highest incomes have increased by 113% and the lowest only by 85%. The results of the study show that the increase of the gross average income and net average income leads to increase of the inequality measured with Gini index. Therefore, after taxation of incomes with proportional income tax the inequality does not decrease, but continues to increase. It may be inferred that the proportional taxation increase inequality in Bulgaria.

Suggested Citation

  • Stoyan Tanchev, 2021. "How the proportional income taxation increases inequality in Bulgaria," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 7(3), pages 244-254.
    • Handle: RePEc:aiy:jnljtr:v:7:y:2021:i:3:p:244-254
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/jtr.2021.7.3.101
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://jtr.urfu.ru/fileadmin/user_upload/site_15907/2021/Tanchev-2.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/https://doi.org/10.15826/jtr.2021.7.3.101?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mihaylova Svilena & Bratoeva-Manoleva Silviya, 2017. "Social Transfers and Income Inequality in Bulgaria," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 38-49, April.
    2. Mr. Jean-Jacques Hallaert, 2020. "Poverty and Social Protection in Bulgaria," IMF Working Papers 2020/147, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Tanzi, Vito & Zee, Howell H., 2000. "Tax Policy for Emerging Markets: Developing Countries," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 53(2), pages 299-322, June.
    4. Flaviu Mihaescu & Liviu Voinea, 2009. "The Impact of the Flat Tax Reform on Inequality: The Case of Romania," wiiw Balkan Observatory Working Papers 81, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    5. Martin Kahanec & Martin Guzi & Monika Martišková & Michal Paleník & Filip Pertold & Zuzana Siebertová, 2013. "GINI Country Report: The Czech Republic and Slovakia," Research Reports 7, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).
    6. Voinea, Liviu & Mihaescu, Flaviu, 2009. "The Impact of the Flat Tax Reform on Inequality - the case of Romania," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(4), pages 19-41, December.
    7. Denvil Duncan & Klara Sabirianova Peter, 2016. "Unequal inequalities: Do progressive taxes reduce income inequality?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 23(4), pages 762-783, August.
    8. Carlos A. Vegh & Guillermo Vuletin, 2015. "How Is Tax Policy Conducted over the Business Cycle?," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 7(3), pages 327-370, August.
    9. Andreas Peichl, 2014. "Flat-rate tax systems and their effect on labor markets," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-61, October.
    10. repec:iza:izawol:journl:y:2014:p:61 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Andrey A. Pugachev, 2023. "Assessment of the Impact of Social Tax Deductions for Personal Income Tax on the Welfare and Inequality of Citizens in Russia," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 22(4), pages 789-813.
    2. Svilena Mihaylova, 2023. "Wage Inequality in Bulgaria: Decomposition by Economic Sectors, Occupational Groups and Districts," Bulgarian Economic Papers bep-2023-05, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria // Center for Economic Theories and Policies at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, revised Sep 2023.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andrey A. Pugachev, 2022. "Taxation-Based Indicators as a Measure of Income Inequality in Russian Regions," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 8(1), pages 40-53.
    2. Vanesa Jorda & Jose M. Alonso, 2020. "What works to mitigate and reduce relative (and absolute) inequality?: A systematic review," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-152, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Alina - Georgeta AILINCA, 2019. "Progressivity Versus A Flat Tax Rate In Combating Social Inequality?," Contemporary Economy Journal, Constantin Brancoveanu University, vol. 4(3), pages 39-46.
    4. Leanora Alecia Brown & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2015. "International Debt Forgiveness: Who Gets Picked and Its Effect On The Tax Effort Of Developing Countries," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1504, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    5. Takumi Naito, 2013. "Aid for trade, infrastructure, and growth," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 20(6), pages 886-909, December.
    6. John E. Anderson, 2014. "Informal Payments to the Tax Collector in Transition Countries," Ekonomi-tek - International Economics Journal, Turkish Economic Association, vol. 3(2), pages 1-26, May.
    7. Thomas, P Mini, 2015. "Tax contribution of service sector: An empirical study of service taxation in India," Working Papers 344, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
    8. Ms. Janet Gale Stotsky & Ms. Asegedech WoldeMariam, 2002. "Central American Tax Reform: Trends and Possibilities," IMF Working Papers 2002/227, International Monetary Fund.
    9. repec:idq:ictduk:13683 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Godin, M. & Hindriks, J., 2015. "A Review of Critical Issues on Tax Design and Tax Administration in a Global Economy and Developing Countries," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2015028, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    11. P. Brunori & F. Palmisano & V. Peragine, 2014. "Income taxation and equity: new dominance criteria and an application to Romania," SERIES 0050, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", revised Dec 2014.
    12. Nancy Birdsall & Liliana Rojas-Suarez (ed.), 2004. "Financing Development: The Power of Regionalism," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 359, April.
    13. Ioannidis, Yiorgos, 2015. "The political economy of the distributional character of the Greek taxation system (1995–2008)," MPRA Paper 64033, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Hermann D. Yohou & Michaël Goujon & Wautabouna Ouattara, 2016. "Heterogeneous Aid Effects on Tax Revenues: Accounting for Government Stability in WAEMU Countries," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 25(3), pages 468-498.
    15. Mini P. Thomas, 2017. "Empirics of service taxation in India: a macroeconomic perspective," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 19(1), pages 143-160, April.
    16. Milan Sedmihradsky & Stanislav Klazar, 2002. "Tax Competition for FDI in Central-European Countries," CESifo Working Paper Series 647, CESifo.
    17. Keita, Kady & Rabaud, Isabelle & Turcu, Camelia, 2023. "Fiscal outcomes, current account imbalances, and institutions in Europe: Exploring nonlinearities," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 121-134.
    18. Ali Merima & Shifa Abdulaziz B. & Shimeles Abebe & Woldeyes Firew, 2017. "Working Paper 290 - Building Fiscal Capacity The role of ICT," Working Paper Series 2404, African Development Bank.
    19. Merima Ali & Abdulaziz B. Shifa & Abebe Shimeles & Firew Woldeyes, 2021. "Building Fiscal Capacity in Developing Countries: Evidence on the Role of Information Technology," National Tax Journal, University of Chicago Press, vol. 74(3), pages 591-620.
    20. Kasuga, Hidefumi & Morita, Yuichi, 2012. "Aid effectiveness, governance and public investment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 514-521.
    21. Céline DE QUATREBARBES & Luc SAVARD & Dorothée BOCCANFUSO, 2011. "Can the removal of VAT Exemptions support the Poor? The Case of Niger," Working Papers 201106, CERDI.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    proportional income tax; inequality; Gini index; OLS method; Bulgaria;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • D50 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aiy:jnljtr:v:7:y:2021:i:3:p:244-254. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Natalia Starodubets (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/seurfru.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.