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Fiscal Competition or Harmonization? Some Reflections

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  • Oates, Wallace E.

Abstract

Economic competition among governments, making use of both fiscal and regulatory policy instruments, is the subject of great concern on both sides of the Atlantic, for fear that it gives rise to a "race to the bottom" resulting in levels of public services that are too low. This paper explores the theoretical and empirical foundations for this claim. The literature is a large, rich, and complex one that, while perhaps inconclusive, provides some valuable insights into the nature of the issue. The case for harmonizing measures to restrain fiscal competition is not wholly compelling; there remains, in fact, a good case for the benefits from such competition.

Suggested Citation

  • Oates, Wallace E., 2001. "Fiscal Competition or Harmonization? Some Reflections," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 54(3), pages 507-512, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:54:y:2001:i:3:p:507-12
    DOI: 10.17310/ntj.2001.3.06
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wallace E. Oates & Wallace E. Oates, 2004. "Fiscal Competition and European Union: Contrasting Perspectives," Chapters, in: Environmental Policy and Fiscal Federalism, chapter 10, pages 182-194, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Parry, Ian W. H., 2003. "How large are the welfare costs of tax competition?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 39-60, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mingxiong Bi & Chencheng Wang & Dian Fu & Xun Tan & Shurong Yu & Junbai Pan & Kun Lv, 2022. "Chinese-Style Fiscal Decentralization, Ecological Attention of Government, and Regional Energy Intensity," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-28, November.
    2. Tomasz Wolowiec, 2011. "Selected Issues Of Personal Income Taxation Harmonization," "e-Finanse", University of Information Technology and Management, Institute of Financial Research and Analysis, vol. 7(2), pages 30-44, August.
    3. Trang Hoang, 2022. "Fiscal competition and state pension reforms," Public Budgeting & Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3), pages 41-70, September.
    4. ESTEBAN, Sonia & DE FRUTOS, Pablo & PRIETO; Maria Jose, 2008. "Fiscal Decentralization And Economic Growth. Empiric Evidence From A Regional Perspective," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 8(1), pages 29-58.
    5. Ludek Kouba & Michal Madr & Danuse Nerudova & Petr Rozmahel, 2016. "Policy Autonomy, Coordination or Harmonization in the Persistently Heterogeneous European Union?," DANUBE: Law and Economics Review, European Association Comenius - EACO, issue 1, pages 53-71, March.
    6. Leonardo Letelier S & Hector Ormeño C, 2018. "Education and fiscal decentralization. The case of municipal education in Chile," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(8), pages 1499-1521, December.
    7. Gebhard Kirchgässner, 2004. "Die Bedeutung der Körperschaftssteuer: Theoretische Überlegungen, die internationale Entwicklung und die Situation in der Schweiz," Aussenwirtschaft, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economics Research, vol. 59(03), pages 239-272, September.
    8. Tomasz Wołowiec & Janusz Soboń, 2011. "EU Integration and Harmonisation of Personal Income Taxation," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 5(1), March.
    9. Ma, Hongqi & Zou, Jingxian & Cai, Hongbo & Zhang, Li, 2024. "Administrative division adjustment and environmental pollution: Evidence from City-County Mergers in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    10. Christopher Berry, 2008. "Piling On: Multilevel Government and the Fiscal Common‐Pool," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(4), pages 802-820, October.
    11. María Martínez Torres, "undated". "Flujos migratorios interregionales en Espana: Un modelo de ecuaciones simultáneas," Studies on the Spanish Economy 207, FEDEA.
    12. Ludek Kouba & Michal Mádr & Danuše Nerudová & Petr Rozmahel, 2015. "Policy Autonomy, Coordination or Harmonisation in the Persistently Heterogeneous European Union? WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 95," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58136.
    13. Haupt, Alexander & Peters, Wolfgang, 2005. "Restricting preferential tax regimes to avoid harmful tax competition," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 493-507, September.

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