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The effects of tax policy and labour market institutions on income inequality

Author

Listed:
  • Alka Obadic

    (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business, Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Nika Simurina

    (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business, Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Robert Sonora

    (Fort Lewis College, School of Business Administration, Durango, CO, USA)

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate how labor market institutions and regulations and tax policies effect income inequality across the European member countries. The sample contains the fifteen core European Union (EU) members as well as thirteen Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies which have recently joined. Using fixed and random effect panel models over the sample period 2000–2011 we test the influence of three major tax forms (labor, capital and consumption), social security contributions, and labor market institutions. We demonstrate that the overall social contributions and labor taxes lead to statistically significant improvements in income inequality among EU member states. We conclude that tax policy, specifically the choice of taxes implemented, and labor market institutions, union membership in particular, reduce income inequality in the EU-28 in the observed period.

Suggested Citation

  • Alka Obadic & Nika Simurina & Robert Sonora, 2014. "The effects of tax policy and labour market institutions on income inequality," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 32(1), pages 121-140.
    • Handle: RePEc:rfe:zbefri:v:32:y:2014:i:1:p:121-140
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sanjeev Gupta & João Tovar Jalles, 2020. "Tax Revenue Reforms and Income Distribution in Developing Countries," Working Papers REM 2020/0137, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    2. Jernej Mencinger Aleksander Aristovnik, 2014. "Fiscal Policy Stance Reaction to the Financial/Economic Crisis in the EMU: The Case of Slovenia," Zagreb International Review of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 17(Special C), pages 17-30, December.
    3. Gupta, Sanjeev & Jalles, João Tovar, 2022. "Do tax reforms affect income distribution? Evidence from developing countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    4. Palić Irena & Hodžić Sabina & Dumičić Ksenija, 2019. "Personal Income Taxation Determinants in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 10(1), pages 153-163, April.
    5. Nabamita Dutta & Lisa Giddings & Sanjukta Roy, 2019. "Can Greater Attention To Women'S Rights Help Address Income Inequality?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 37(3), pages 545-559, July.
    6. Vanesa Jorda & Jose M. Alonso, 2020. "What works to mitigate and reduce relative (and absolute) inequality?: A systematic review," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-152, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Bo?ena Kade?ábková & Emílie Ja?ová, 2019. "The Relation between Minimum Wage and Unemployment across the Economic Cycle in Countries of the Visegrad Group," Proceedings of Economics and Finance Conferences 8910608, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    income inequality; taxes; corruption; labor market institutions; education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development

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