A comparison of optimal tax policies when compensation or responsibility matter

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Jacquet, Laurence; Van de Gaer, Dirk
• 署名单位: Norwegian School of Economics (NHH); Universite Catholique Louvain; Universite Catholique Louvain; Universite Catholique Louvain
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2010.05.005
• 发表日期: 2011
• 页码: 1248-1262
• 关键词: Optimal income taxation; Equality of opportunity; Heterogeneous preferences for labor

摘要

This paper examines optimal redistribution in a model with high- and low-skilled individuals with heterogeneous tastes for labor. We compare the extent to which optimal policies based on different normative criteria obey the principles of compensation (for differential skills) and responsibility (for preferences for labor) when labor supply is along the extensive margin. With heterogeneity in skills and preferences, traditional Welfarist criteria including Utilitarianism present unappealing policy recommendations in some scenarios as they fail to take compensation and responsibility issues into account. Criteria from the social-choice literature perform better in this regard in first and second best. More importantly, these equality of opportunity criteria push the second best policy away from an Earned Income Tax Credit and in the direction of a Negative Income Tax. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.