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An Analysis of Fiscal Policy with Endogenous Investment-Specific Technological Change

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  • Gregory W. Huffman

    (Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University)

Abstract

The effects of distortional fiscal policies are studied within a model in which there is endogenous investment-specific technological change. Labor is used in the production of output and also for research purposes. Labor or capital taxes then distort the trade-off between developing new technologies, and investing in existing types of capital. It is shown that if there is an externality in the research activity, then it may be socially optimal to impose both a capital tax, and an investment tax credit. The growth rate is shown to be increasing in the rate of capital taxation and decreasing in the rate of labor taxation, although the effect of taxation on the growth rate is modest. This supports the observation that there is relatively little relationship between growth rates of economies, and their rates of taxation.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory W. Huffman, 2008. "An Analysis of Fiscal Policy with Endogenous Investment-Specific Technological Change," Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers 0801, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:van:wpaper:0801
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bishnu, Monisankar & Ghate, Chetan & Gopalakrishnan, Pawan, 2011. "Distortionary Taxes and Public Investment in a Model of Endogenous Investment Specific Technological Change," MPRA Paper 34111, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Bishnu, Monisankar & Ghate, Chetan & Gopalakrishnan, Pawan, 2016. "Factor income taxation, growth, and investment specific technological change," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 133-152.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investment-specific technological change; investment tax credit; optimal taxation; capital taxation; endogenous growth; externalities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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