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Does the Wage Tax System cause Budget Deficits?

Author

Listed:
  • Arno Riedl
  • Frans A.A.M. van Winden

    (University of Amsterdam)

Abstract

This discussion paper led to a publication in 'Public Choice' 109(3-4) 371-94. In this paper we investigate experimentally the functioning of a wage tax financed unemployment benefit system on the development of the budget deficit, unemployment, and some other indicators of economic performance in an international economy. We find support for the hypothesis that out-of-equilibrium price uncertainty affects the behavior of economic agents. Dueto uncertainty about prices risk-averse producers are hypothesized to be reluctant to employ inputs with the additional effect of too low wages and too high output prices. Our results support this hypothesis of a `risk-compensated price-mechanism'. We also find that the downward pressure on wages is exacerbated by an over-supply of labor by consumers. These observationscan explain the budget deficits we observe in the laboratory economies. Furthermore, we find that tax adjustments in order to facilitate a balancing of the budget has strong adverse effects on unemployment and real GDP.

Suggested Citation

  • Arno Riedl & Frans A.A.M. van Winden, 2000. "Does the Wage Tax System cause Budget Deficits?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 00-094/1, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20000094
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Riedl, Arno & van Winden, Frans, 2007. "An experimental investigation of wage taxation and unemployment in closed and open economies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 871-900, May.
    2. Davis, Douglas D. & Holt, Charles a., 1993. "Experimental economics: Methods, problems and promise," Estudios Económicos, El Colegio de México, Centro de Estudios Económicos, vol. 8(2), pages 179-212.
    3. Batra, Raveendra N & Ullah, Aman, 1974. "Competitive Firm and the Theory of Input Demand under Price Uncertainty," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(3), pages 537-548, May/June.
    4. Charles N. Noussair & Charles R. Plott & Raymond G. Riezman, 2013. "An Experimental Investigation of the Patterns of International Trade," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Raymond Riezman (ed.), International Trade Agreements and Political Economy, chapter 17, pages 299-328, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    5. Bernheim, B Douglas, 1989. "A Neoclassical Perspective on Budget Deficits," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 3(2), pages 55-72, Spring.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Budget deficit; experiment; price uncertainty; unemployment benefit; wage tax;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D51 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Exchange and Production Economies
    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H62 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Deficit; Surplus

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