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The marginal cost of public funds in large welfare state countries

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The marginal cost of public funds (MCF) is substantial in generous welfare state countries according to Kleven and Kreiner (2006). Their main estimate for the Danish economy exceeds 2 mainly because taxation distorts labor force participation. Adjustments in social transfers which alleviate such extensive margin distortions are however not considered. This study shows that MCF within a similar welfare state country, Norway, should be in the interval 1.06 - 1.16 when social transfers alleviate such distortions.

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  • Geir H. M. Bjertnæs, 2018. "The marginal cost of public funds in large welfare state countries," Discussion Papers 879, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssb:dispap:879
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    1. Figari Francesco & Gandullia Luca & Lezzi Emanuela, 2018. "Marginal Cost of Public Funds: From the Theory to the Empirical Application for the Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Tax-Benefit Systems," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 18(4), pages 1-16, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Marginal cost of public funds; Optimal income taxation; Social security transfers; tagging;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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