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Fiscal centralization versus decentralization: Growth and welfare effects of spillovers, Leviathan taxation, and capital mobility

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  • Chu, Angus C.
  • Yang, C.C.

Abstract

This paper develops an endogenous growth model with spillovers of public goods, Leviathan taxation, and mobile capital to examine the relative merits of centralized and decentralized fiscal systems for economic growth and social welfare. We show that a decentralized system dominates a centralized system in terms of economic growth; however, the difference in social welfare between a decentralized and a centralized system is non-monotonic and displays a hump-shaped relationship with respect to capital mobility. Since higher capital mobility induces stronger tax competition, this finding implies that there is an optimal degree of tax competition; some tax competition is desirable, but fierce tax competition may be harmful. We also show that there is a critical level of spillovers of public goods above which centralization dominates decentralization in terms of social welfare, as in previous studies; however, if spillovers are below this critical level, capital mobility also matters in the welfare comparison between centralized and decentralized systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Chu, Angus C. & Yang, C.C., 2012. "Fiscal centralization versus decentralization: Growth and welfare effects of spillovers, Leviathan taxation, and capital mobility," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 177-188.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:71:y:2012:i:2:p:177-188
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2011.10.003
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    3. Maebayashi, Noritaka & Morimoto, Keiichi, 2022. "Global Corporate Income Tax Competition, Knowledge Spillover, and Growth," MPRA Paper 112790, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Tristan Canare, 2022. "Decentralization and welfare: Evidence from a panel of countries," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93(3), pages 767-796, September.
    5. Francisco J. Delgado, 2021. "On the Determinants of Fiscal Decentralization: Evidence From the EU," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(56), pages 206-206, February.
    6. Maebayashi, Noritaka & Morimoto, Keiichi, 2022. "Global Corporate Income Tax Competition, Knowledge Spillover, and Growth," MPRA Paper 112781, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Sonja Engeli Pippin & Mehmet Serkan Tosun, 2016. "Tax harmonization in the European Union and the eurozone: a multilateral analysis of tax systems," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 40(4), pages 437-461.
    8. Tamai, Toshiki, 2022. "Tax competition versus tax coordination in a multi-region endogenous growth model with an integrated capital market," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    9. Chen, Gao & Xu, Jian & Qi, Yu, 2022. "Environmental (de)centralization and local environmental governance: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
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    11. Fuhmei Wang, 2018. "The Influences of Fiscal Decentralization on Economic Performance: Empirical Evidence from OECD Countries," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2018(5), pages 606-618.
    12. Maebayashi, Noritaka & Morimoto, Keiichi, 2024. "Global corporate income tax competition, knowledge spillover, and growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
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    15. Yu Qi & Jinliang Yu, 2023. "Decentralization and local pollution activities: New quasi evidence from China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 115-159, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal decentralization; Spillovers of public goods; Tax competition; Leviathan taxation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth

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