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Constrained Inefficiency and Optimal Taxation with Uninsurable Risks

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  • PIERO GOTTARDI
  • ATSUSHI KAJII
  • TOMOYUKI NAKAJIMA

Abstract

When individuals' labor and capital income are subject to uninsurable idiosyncratic risks, should capital and labor be taxed, and if so, how? In a two-period general equilibrium model with production, we derive a decomposition formula of the welfare effects of these taxes into insurance and distribution effects. This method allows us to determine how the sign of the optimal taxes on capital and labor depends on the nature of the shocks, the degree of heterogeneity among consumers' income, and the way in which the tax revenue is used to provide lump sum transfers to consumers. When shocks affect primarily labor income and heterogeneity is small, the optimal tax on capital is positive. However, in other cases, a negative tax on capital improves welfare.
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  • Piero Gottardi & Atsushi Kajii & Tomoyuki Nakajima, 2016. "Constrained Inefficiency and Optimal Taxation with Uninsurable Risks," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 18(1), pages 1-28, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jpbect:v:18:y:2016:i:1:p:1-28
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/jpet.2016.18.issue-1
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    Cited by:

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    3. Shuichi Tsugawa, 2024. "Optimal redistributive policy under disaster risk: self-protection, social mitigation and social adaptation," Working Papers e203, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.
    4. Acikgoz, Omer, 2013. "Transitional Dynamics and Long-run Optimal Taxation Under Incomplete Markets," MPRA Paper 50160, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Li, Meng, 2023. "Loss aversion and inefficient general equilibrium over the business cycle," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    6. Nakajima, Tomoyuki & Takahashi, Shuhei, 2017. "The optimum quantity of debt for Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 17-26.
    7. YiLi Chien & Yi Wen, 2022. "Optimal Ramsey Taxation in Heterogeneous Agent Economies with Quasi-Linear Preferences," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 46, pages 124-160, October.
    8. Piero Gottardi & Atsushi Kajii & Tomoyuki Nakajima, 2010. "Optimal taxation and constrained inefficiency in an infinite-horizon economy with incomplete markets," KIER Working Papers 745, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    9. Piero Gottardi & Atsushi Kajii & Tomoyuki Nakajima, 2015. "Optimal Taxation and Debt with Uninsurable Risks to Human Capital Accumulation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(11), pages 3443-3470, November.
    10. Hisahiro Naito, 2018. "Welfare-improving Consumption Tax in the Presence of Wage Tax under Idiosyncratic Returns from Investment and Incomplete Markets," Tsukuba Economics Working Papers 2018-002, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba.
    11. Jaimes, Richard, 2023. "Does idiosyncratic risk matter for climate policy?," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(4), pages 353-367, August.
    12. Ando, Sakai & Matsumura, Misaki, 2020. "Constrained inefficiency of competitive entrepreneurship," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 98-103.
    13. HIRAGUCHI Ryoji, 2023. "Optimal Government Debt Policy in the Overlapping Generations Model with Idiosyncratic Capital Return Risk," Discussion papers 23063, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Sakai Ando, 2017. "Size-Dependent Policies and Efficient Firm Creation," ISER Discussion Paper 1033, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Jun 2018.
    15. Yena Park, 2014. "Constrained Efficiency in a Risky Human Capital Model," RCER Working Papers 585, University of Rochester - Center for Economic Research (RCER).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D52 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Incomplete Markets
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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