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The Myth of Neutral Taxation

Author

Listed:
  • Murray N. Rothbard

    (Polytechnic Institute of New York)

Abstract

Economists have long believed that government’s tax and expendi- ture policy either is, or can readily be made to be, neutral to the market. Free-market economists have advocated such neutrality of government, and even economists favoring redistributive actions by government have believed that the service activities and the re- distributive activities of government can easily be distinguished, at least in concept. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and implications of fiscally neutral government; the paper argues that all government activities necessari(y divert incomes, re- sources, and assets from the market, and therefore that the quest for a neutral tax or expenditure policy is an impossible one and the concept a myth...

Suggested Citation

  • Murray N. Rothbard, 1981. "The Myth of Neutral Taxation," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 1(2), pages 519-564, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:cto:journl:v:1:y:1981:i:2:p:519-564
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hoppe Hans-Hermann, 1990. "The Economics And Sociology Of Taxation," Journal des Economistes et des Etudes Humaines, De Gruyter, vol. 1(2), pages 61-90, June.
    2. Coyne,Christopher J., 2020. "Defense, Peace, and War Economics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108724036, September.
    3. Hoppe Hans-Hermann, 1991. "Austrian Rationalism In The Age Of The Decline Of Positivism," Journal des Economistes et des Etudes Humaines, De Gruyter, vol. 2(2-3), pages 243-268, June.
    4. Christopher Coyne, 2015. "Lobotomizing the defense brain," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 371-396, December.
    5. Robert W. McGee, 1998. "Some Principles of Taxation for Latin America: Lessons from the USA and European Experiences," Public Economics 9805003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Hummel Jeffrey Rogers & Lavoie Don, 1994. "National Defense And The Public-Goods Problem," Journal des Economistes et des Etudes Humaines, De Gruyter, vol. 5(2-3), pages 353-378, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    property rights; land; regulation; government; forest; wildlife; free markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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