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A Second Chance at Success: A Political Economy Perspective?

Author

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  • Ryo Arawatari

    (Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University)

  • Tetsuo Ono

    (Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University)

Abstract

This paper characterizes a stationary Markov perfect political equilibrium where agents vote over income taxation that distorts their educational investment. Agents become rich or poor through educational investment, and the poor have a second chance at success. The results show the following concerning the costs of a second chance. First, when the cost is low, the economy is characterized by high levels of upward mobility and inequality, and a low tax burden supported by the poor with prospects for upward mobility. Second, when the cost is high, there are multiple equilibria: one is characterized by high levels of upward mobility and inequality and a low tax burden supported by the rich, the other is characterized by low levels of upward mobility and inequality and a high tax burden supported by the poor. Numerical examples show that the low-cost economy is inferior to the high-cost economy in terms of social welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2008. "A Second Chance at Success: A Political Economy Perspective?," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 08-04, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:osk:wpaper:0804
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Weiguang Liu, 2020. "Individual health perspective, income protection insurance coverage and human capital growth," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(1), pages 177-187.
    2. Yuki Uchida & Tetsuo Ono, 2020. "Inequality and education choice," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(4), pages 980-1018, August.
    3. Uchida, Yuki & Ono, Tetsuo, 2022. "Politics of Public Education and Pension Reform with Endogenous Fertility," MPRA Paper 112748, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Arawatari, Ryo & Ono, Tetsuo, 2013. "Inequality, mobility and redistributive politics," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 148(1), pages 353-375.
    5. Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2015. "Redistributive Politics And Government Debt In A Borrowing-Constrained Economy," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 83-103, January.
    6. Weiguang Liu, 2021. "Human capital accumulation, income protection insurance and poverty reduction in the least developed countries," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 361-372, June.
    7. Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2008. "The Political Economy of Occupational Mobility and Redistribution Policy," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 08-18, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    8. Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2015. "A Political Economy Model of Earnings Mobility and Redistribution Policy," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 17(3), pages 346-382, June.
    9. Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2011. "A Political Economy Theory of Government Debt and Social Security," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 11-33, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    10. Arawatari, Ryo & Ono, Tetsuo, 2009. "A second chance at success: A political economy perspective," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 1249-1277, May.
    11. Tetsuo Ono, 2014. "Economic Growth and the Politics of Intergenerational Redistribution," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 14-17, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    12. Weiguang Liu, 2018. "The Self-Ful?lling Discriminations and Mismatches for Old Workers and Poor Workers," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 5(1), pages 58-74, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Second chance; Political economy; Inequality; Upward mobility; Intragenerational mobility.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions

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