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The Impact of Uruguay’s 2007 Tax Reform on Equity and Efficiency

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  • Bruno Martorano

    (UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence)

Abstract

In 2007, the Uruguayan government implemented a new tax reform which introduced a new progressive labour income tax, a flat capital income tax, and reduced some indirect taxes, with the objective of improving fiscal balance, income distribution and economic growth. This paper presents an evaluation of the impact of such tax reform on equity and efficiency on the basis of data derived from the Encuesta Continua de Hogares (ECH) for the years 2006 and 2009. Using a Difference-in-Differences technique, the paper shows that the new tax system lowered inequality by 2 Gini points without producing any discernible disincentive effect. These results contrast with the conclusions of supply side-economics and suggest that suitably designed reforms of direct taxation can simultaneously achieve the goals of equity and efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Martorano, 2012. "The Impact of Uruguay’s 2007 Tax Reform on Equity and Efficiency," Working Papers - Economics wp2012_06.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    • Handle: RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2012_06.rdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Saeed Solaymani, 2020. "Assessing the economic and social impacts of fiscal policies," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 47(3), pages 671-694, March.
    2. Buendía García, Luis & Sanabria Martín, Antonio, 2013. "Productive Structure, Political Cycle And Inequality: The Case Of Uruguay, 2004-2011," Revista Galega de Economía, University of Santiago de Compostela. Faculty of Economics and Business., vol. 22(ex).
    3. Bruno Martorano, 2018. "Taxation and Inequality in Developing Countries: Lessons from the Recent Experience of Latin America," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 256-273, March.
    4. repec:idq:ictduk:12799 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. 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).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax reform; tax incidence; income distribution; efficiency; matching estimators;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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