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Working Paper 350 - Taming Private Leviathans: Regulation versus Taxation

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Abstract

This paper explores the interplay between concentration of wealth and policies, namely regulation and taxation. The paper exploits variation in exposure to international commodity prices. Using a global panel data set of the net worth of billionaires, the results point to a positive relationship between commodity prices and the concentration of wealth at the top. Regulation especially pertaining to competition is found to limit the effects of commodity price shocks on the concentration of wealth, while taxation has little effect. Moreover, commodity price shocks crowd out non-resource tax revenue, hence limiting the scope for income transfers and redistribution. The results are consistent with the primacy of ex ante interventions over ex post ones for addressing wealth inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Rabah Arezki & Asif Islam & Grégoire Rota-Graziosi, 2021. "Working Paper 350 - Taming Private Leviathans: Regulation versus Taxation," Working Paper Series 2476, African Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:adb:adbwps:2476
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; Wealth concentration; Competition; Tax; Natural Resources; Development JEL classification: D31; D63; H26; H20; O13;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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