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Does the Progressivity of Income Taxes Matter for Human Capital and Growth?

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  • ELIZABETH M. CAUCUTT
  • SELAHATTIN İMROHOROĞLU
  • KRISHNA B. KUMAR

Abstract

We develop a model with heterogeneity in skills to study the effect of tax progressivity on economic growth. The probability of becoming skilled depends positively on expenses on teacher time. We consider growth resulting from an externality due to skilled workers and from their employment in research and development. We show changes in the progressivity of taxes can have growth effects even when changes in flat rate taxes have none. The response is stronger with externality‐driven growth. Progressive taxation, often suggested to reduce inequality, can increase the long‐run skill premium and decrease the upward mobility of the poor.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth M. Caucutt & Selahattin İmrohoroğlu & Krishna B. Kumar, 2006. "Does the Progressivity of Income Taxes Matter for Human Capital and Growth?," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 8(1), pages 95-118, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jpbect:v:8:y:2006:i:1:p:95-118
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9779.2006.00254.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wenli Li & Pierre-Daniel G. Sarte, 2001. "Growth effects of progressive taxes," Working Paper 01-09, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
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    Cited by:

    1. Krueger, D. & Mitman, K. & Perri, F., 2016. "Macroeconomics and Household Heterogeneity," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & Harald Uhlig (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 843-921, Elsevier.
    2. Tabata, Ken, 2024. "Redistributive policy and R&D-based growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Krueger, Dirk & Ludwig, Alexander, 2016. "On the optimal provision of social insurance: Progressive taxation versus education subsidies in general equilibrium," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 72-98.
    4. Christian E. Weller & Manita Rao, 2008. "Can Progressive Taxation Contribute to Economic Development?," Working Papers wp176, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    5. Geronikolaou, George & Spyromitros, Eleftherios & Tsintzos, Panagiotis, 2020. "Progressive taxation and human capital as determinants of inflation persistence," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 82-97.
    6. Krueger, Dirk & Ludwig, Alexander, 2013. "On the Optimal Provision of Social Insurance," MEA discussion paper series 201302, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    7. Граборов С.В., 2019. "Мажоритарная Оптимизация Налогообложения Доходов И Имущества Граждан," Журнал Экономика и математические методы (ЭММ), Центральный Экономико-Математический Институт (ЦЭМИ), vol. 55(4), pages 28-42, октябрь.
    8. Kenji Miyazaki & Kiyohiko G. Nishimura & Makoto Saito, 2009. "Incomplete Financial Markets, Irreversibility Of Investments And Fiscal And Monetary Policy Instruments," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 60(3), pages 271-300, September.
    9. Cecilia García-Peñalosa & Jean-François Wen, 2008. "Redistribution and entrepreneurship with Schumpeterian growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 57-80, March.
    10. Magalhães Manuela & Sequeira Tiago Neves, 2019. "Redistributive policies and technology diffusion," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 1-23, January.
    11. Alexander Ludwig & Dirk Krueger, 2015. "Optimal Capital and Progressive Labor Income Taxation with Endogenous Schooling Decisions and Intergenerational Transfers," 2015 Meeting Papers 334, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    12. repec:got:cegedp:137 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Alexander Ludwig & Dirk Krueger, 2010. "Optimal Progressive Taxation and Education Subsidies in a Model of Endogenous Human Capital Formation," 2010 Meeting Papers 388, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    14. Schwager, Robert, 2012. "Student loans in a tiebout model of higher education," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 137, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.

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