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Discussion Paper Details

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Title: Politically feasible reforms of non-linear tax systems

Author(s): Felix Bierbrauer and Pierre Boyer

Publication Date: July 2018

Keyword(s): Non-linear income taxation, optimal taxation, political economy and Tax Reforms

Programme Area(s): Public Economics

Abstract: We present a conceptual framework for the analysis of politically feasible tax reforms. First, we prove a median voter theorem for monotonic reforms of non-linear tax systems. This yields a characterization of reforms that are preferred by a majority of individuals over the status quo and hence politically feasible. Second, we show that every Pareto-efficient tax system is such that moving towards lower tax rates for below-median incomes and towards higher rates for above median incomes is politically feasible. Third, we develop a method for diagnosing whether a given tax system admits reforms that are politically feasible and/or welfare-improving.

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Bibliographic Reference

Bierbrauer, F and Boyer, P. 2018. 'Politically feasible reforms of non-linear tax systems'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=13059