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Distributive Policies and Economic Growth: An Optimal Taxation Approach

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  • Rehme, Gunther

Abstract

In an infinite-horizon, endogenous growth model a capital income cum investment subsidy tax is considered to investigate if distribution of income towards the non-accumulated factor of production (labour) retards growth and if capital income taxes are bad instruments to finance investment subsidies. The paper identifies conditions under which the tax scheme is better for growth than other distorting tax schemes. In the model a “left-wing’ (pro-labour) government acts growth maximizing, and distributing income towards labour raises growth. A ‘right-wing” (pro-capital) government’s preferred policy is not growth maximizing under the tax scheme but may generate higher growth than its optimal, growth maximizing policy under other tax schemes.

Suggested Citation

  • Rehme, Gunther, 1999. "Distributive Policies and Economic Growth: An Optimal Taxation Approach," Economics Working Papers ECO 1999/36, European University Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:eui:euiwps:eco1999/36
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Günther Rehme, 2011. "Endogenous Policy And Cross‐Country Growth Empirics," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 58(2), pages 262-296, May.
    2. Yawovi Mawussé Isaac Amedanou, 2019. "Optimal Taxation and Economic Growth in Togo: Empirical Investigation in Time Series [Taxation Optimale et Croissance Economique au Togo : une Evidence Empirique en Séries Temporelles]," Post-Print hal-01990213, HAL.
    3. Günther Rehme, 2023. "Investment subsidies and redistributive capital income taxation in a neoclassical growth model," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(4), pages 988-1012, October.
    4. Günther Rehme, 2023. "Capital depreciation allowances, redistributive taxation, and economic growth," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 25(1), pages 168-195, February.
    5. AMEDANOU, Yawovi M. Isaac, 2018. "Examen de l'optimalité de la performance fiscale dans les pays en développement : le cas de l’UEMOA [Review of the optimality of tax performance in developing countries: evidence from WAEMU]," MPRA Paper 89513, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. AMEDANOU, Yawovi M. Isaac, 2019. "Taxation Optimale et Croissance Economique au Togo : une Evidence Empirique en Séries Temporelles [Optimal Taxation and Economic Growth in Togo: Empirical Investigation in Time Series]," MPRA Paper 92003, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Growth; Distribution; Investment Subsidies; Capital Income Taxes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • D33 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Factor Income Distribution

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