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Income Tax Reform in France: A Case Study

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  • Helmuth Cremer
  • Firouz Gahvari
  • Norbert Ladoux

Abstract

This paper calibrates the graduated income tax system currently in place in France while assuming that the number of earning-ability types in the economy is four. It also computes the optimal linear and nonlinear income tax schedules for this economy. Its main finding is that while an optimal linear income tax is (in most scenarios) welfare-superior to the current tax system, the welfare gain may be small. On the other hand, an optimal general income tax leads to substantial welfare gains over the present system.

Suggested Citation

  • Helmuth Cremer & Firouz Gahvari & Norbert Ladoux, 2010. "Income Tax Reform in France: A Case Study," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 66(2), pages 121-133, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:mhr:finarc:urn:sici:0015-2218(201006)66:2_121:itrifa_2.0.tx_2-i
    DOI: 10.1628/001522108X524179
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stiglitz, Joseph E., 1987. "Pareto efficient and optimal taxation and the new new welfare economics," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 15, pages 991-1042, Elsevier.
    2. Emmanuel Saez, 2002. "Optimal Income Transfer Programs: Intensive versus Extensive Labor Supply Responses," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(3), pages 1039-1073.
    3. Cremer, Helmuth & Gahvari, Firouz & Ladoux, Norbert, 2003. "Environmental taxes with heterogeneous consumers: an application to energy consumption in France," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(12), pages 2791-2815, December.
    4. Diamond, Peter A, 1998. "Optimal Income Taxation: An Example with a U-Shaped Pattern of Optimal Marginal Tax Rates," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(1), pages 83-95, March.
    5. Slemrod, Joel & Yitzhaki, Shlomo & Mayshar, Joram & Lundholm, Michael, 1994. "The optimal two-bracket linear income tax," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 269-290, February.
    6. Emmanuel Saez, 2001. "Using Elasticities to Derive Optimal Income Tax Rates," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 68(1), pages 205-229.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Chen, Zi-yue & Nie, Pu-yan, 2016. "Effects of carbon tax on social welfare: A case study of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1607-1615.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Flat Tax; General Income Tax; Welfare Gains;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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