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International Spillovers of Taxation

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  • Jacob A. Frenkel
  • Assaf Razin
  • Steve Symansky

Abstract

This paper deals with the international effects of taxation. Tax policies have profound effects on the temporal composition and on the intertemporal evolution of the macro economy. The analysis highlights key issues pertinent for the understanding of international effects of domestic tax policies and of international tax harmonization. The analytical framework adopts the saving-investment balance approach to the analysis of international economic interdependence and includes a detailed specification of public and private sector behavior focusing on the roles played by taxes on income, consumption, and international borrowing. We present stylized facts on the average consumption and income tax rates for the seven major industrial countries. They reveal large international diversity of tax rates and tax structures. The analytical framework is used to analyze the consequences of revenue-neutral conversions between income and consumption (VAT) tax systems. We demonstrate analytically that the effects of such changes in the structure of taxes depend critically on international differences in saving and investment propensities which in turn govern the time profile of the current account of the balance of payments. The key results are also illustrated by means of dynamic simulations. We then examine the international effects of budget deficits and public-debt management and demonstrate analytically as well as by means of dynamic simulations that these effects depend critically on whether the government manages its deficit through alterations in income or consumption (VAT) taxes. Finally, motivated by proposals for tax harmonization associated with the single market in Europe of 1992, we consider the effects of international tax harmonization. The main results, demonstrate that, in analogy with the effects of tax conversions, the effect of harmonization depends critically on the inter-country differences in saving and investment propensities. These differences are shown to yield conflicts of interests in the tax harmonization program.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacob A. Frenkel & Assaf Razin & Steve Symansky, 1989. "International Spillovers of Taxation," NBER Working Papers 2927, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:2927
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Charles Engel & Kenneth Kletzer, 1986. "Tariffs, Saving and the Current Account," NBER Working Papers 1869, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Diamond, Peter A., 1970. "Incidence of an interest income tax," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 211-224, September.
    3. Frenkel, Jacob A & Razin, Assaf, 1987. "Fiscal Policies and the World Economy; An Intertemporal Approach (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1987)," MPRA Paper 20438, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    Cited by:

    1. van der Ploeg, Frederick, 1989. "Fiscal Aspects of Monetary Integration in Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 340, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Philippe Thalmann & Lawrence Goulder & François Delorme, 1996. "Assessing the international spillover effects of capital income taxation," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 3(4), pages 449-478, October.
    3. van der Ploeg, F., 1990. "Macroeconomic policy coordination during the various phases of economic and monetary integration in Europe," Discussion Paper 1990-61, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    4. Siebert, Horst, 1989. "The harmonization issue in Europe: prior agreement or a competitive process?," Kiel Working Papers 377, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. F. Van der Ploeg, 1992. "Coordinación de políticas macroeconómicas en las diferentes etapas de la integración económica y monetaria en Europa," EKONOMIAZ. Revista vasca de Economía, Gobierno Vasco / Eusko Jaurlaritza / Basque Government, vol. 24(03), pages 240-286.
    6. Jacob A. Frenkel & Assaf Razin & Steve Symansky, 1991. "International VAT Harmonization: Economic Effects," NBER Working Papers 3656, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Long, Ngo Van & Siebert, Horst, 1989. "Institutional competition versus ex-ante harmonization: the case of environmental policy," Kiel Working Papers 396, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    8. Joosung Jun, 1989. "Tax Policy and International Direct Investment," NBER Working Papers 3048, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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