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The welfare cost of imperfect competition and distortionary taxation

Author

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  • Magnus Jonsson

    (Sveriges Riksbank)

Abstract

The welfare cost of imperfect competition in the product and labor markets in the United States is quantified in a dynamic general equilibrium model. We find that the welfare cost of imperfect competition in the product market is 3.62 percent while it is 0.58 percent in the labor market, taking the transition path from the distorted to the optimal steady state into account. If we also take into account that the U.S. economy is characterized by distortionary taxation, the welfare cost of the product market distortion increases to 13.51 percent and the labor market distortion to 4.35 percent. (Copyright: Elsevier)

Suggested Citation

  • Magnus Jonsson, 2007. "The welfare cost of imperfect competition and distortionary taxation," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 10(4), pages 576-594, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:issued:04-90
    DOI: 10.1016/j.red.2007.01.002
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    Cited by:

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    2. Vitor M. Carvalho & Manuel M. F. Martins, 2011. "Macroeconomic effects of fiscal consolidations in a DSGE model for the Euro Area: does composition matter?," FEP Working Papers 421, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    3. Forni, L. & Gerali, A. & Pisani, M., 2010. "Macroeconomic Effects Of Greater Competition In The Service Sector: The Case Of Italy," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(5), pages 677-708, November.
    4. Miguel Ricaurte, 2010. "The Role of Labor Markets in Structural Change," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 584, Central Bank of Chile.
    5. Romain Restout, 2008. "Monopolistic Competition and the Dependent Economy Model," EconomiX Working Papers 2008-9, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    6. Chi‐Ting Chin & Ching‐Chong Lai & Ming‐Ruey Kao, 2010. "Welfare‐Maximising Pricing In A Macroeconomic Model With Imperfect Competition And Consumption Externalities," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(3), pages 200-208, September.
    7. Vitor Carvalho & Manuel M. F. Martins, 2011. "Investment and output effects of fiscal consolidations in a new-Keynesian DSGE model for the Euro Area: composition matters?," EcoMod2011 3246, EcoMod.
    8. Jørgensen, Ole Hagen & Jensen, Svend E. Hougaard, 2009. "Labour supply and retirement policy in an overlapping generations model with stochastic fertility," Discussion Papers on Economics 1/2009, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Economics.
    9. Chang, Wen-ya & Chen, Ying-an & Chang, Juin-jen, 2013. "Growth and welfare effects of monetary policy with endogenous fertility," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 117-130.
    10. Campagne, Benoît & Poissonnier, Aurélien, 2018. "Structural reforms in DSGE models: Output gains but welfare losses," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 397-421.
    11. Louis Kaplow, 2019. "Market Power and Income Taxation," NBER Working Papers 25578, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Ana-Isabel Guerra & Laura Varela-Candamio & Jesús López-Rodríguez, 2022. "Tax reforms in Spain: efficiency levels and distributional patterns," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 41-68, January.
    13. Romain Restout, 2008. "Monopolistic Competition and the Dependent Economy Model," Working Papers hal-04140750, HAL.
    14. Romain Restout, 2009. "The Balassa-Samuelson model in general equilibrium with markup variations," EconomiX Working Papers 2009-39, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    15. Shu‐Hua Chen & Jang‐Ting Guo, 2013. "On indeterminacy and growth under progressive taxation and productive government spending," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 46(3), pages 865-880, August.
    16. Louis Kaplow, 2022. "Optimal Income Taxation," NBER Working Papers 30199, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Jan Sviták & Jarig Sinderen, 2018. "Economic Impact of Competition Policy: A Look Beyond Consumer Surplus," De Economist, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 23-40, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Imperfect competition; Distortionary taxation; Welfare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General

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