The Theory of Taxation and Public Economics

Louis Kaplow

Published by Princeton University Press 2008

The Theory of Taxation and Public Economics

Louis Kaplow

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400839223

Overview
Contents

About this book

The Theory of Taxation and Public Economics presents a unified conceptual framework for analyzing taxation--the first to be systematically developed in several decades. An original treatment of the subject rather than a textbook synthesis, the book contains new analysis that generates novel results, including some that overturn long-standing conventional wisdom. This fresh approach should change thinking, research, and teaching for decades to come.

Building on the work of James Mirrlees, Anthony Atkinson and Joseph Stiglitz, and subsequent researchers, and in the spirit of classics by A. C. Pigou, William Vickrey, and Richard Musgrave, this book steps back from particular lines of inquiry to consider the field as a whole, including the relationships among different fiscal instruments. Louis Kaplow puts forward a framework that makes it possible to rigorously examine both distributive and distortionary effects of particular policies despite their complex interactions with others. To do so, various reforms--ranging from commodity or estate and gift taxation to regulation and public goods provision--are combined with a distributively offsetting adjustment to the income tax. The resulting distribution-neutral reform package holds much constant while leaving in play the distinctive effects of the policy instrument under consideration. By applying this common methodology to disparate subjects, The Theory of Taxation and Public Economics produces significant cross-fertilization and yields solutions to previously intractable problems.

Author / Editor information

Louis Kaplow is the Finn M. W. Caspersen and Household International Professor of Law and Economics at Harvard, a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has published widely on the theory of taxation and public economics.

Reviews

"This clear and insightful examination of income taxation and its link to analyzing other government policies will be informative and valuable for students and researchers alike."—Peter Diamond, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Louis Kaplow's Theory of Taxation and Public Economics is a terrific text full of insight and new approaches to examining old issues in public finance. Kaplow, a brilliant economist with a great talent for exposition, looks at things from fresh angles and explains them in new ways."—Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Boston University

"This rigorous book illuminates current policy issues in government taxation and spending, exposes the logical flaws in many common arguments, and nicely clarifies the interaction between equity and efficiency in taxes and transfers. It will serve well as a text and reference for advanced students of public economics, and it will also reward a close reading by their teachers."—Joel Slemrod, University of Michigan

This is a very ambitious project which has the quality of proposing a unified view of all these topics. Moreover, on the various aspects of taxation, the reader will find an interesting critical survey and a valuable source of information about the literature and the pending questions.---Marc Fleurbaey, Social Choice and Welfare

"Louis Kaplow brings innovative ideas to the difficult issues of income taxation and other fiscal instruments. The clarity of his writing and the novelty of his analysis make this book a pleasure to read."—Martin Feldstein, Harvard University

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Summary of Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Contents Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	ix
Preface Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	xvii
1. Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Part I: Framework
2. An Integrated View Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	13
3. The Social Objective Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	35
Part II: Optimal Taxation
4. Optimal Income Taxation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	53
5. Elaboration and Extensions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	80
6. Income and Commodity Taxation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	122
Part III: Government Expenditures
7. Transfer Payments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	151
8. Goods and Services Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	179
Part IV: Additional Aspects of Taxation
9. Taxation of Capital Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	221
10. Taxation of Transfers Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	249
11. Taxation and Social Security Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	275
12. Taxation of Families Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	315
Part V: Distributive Justice and Social Welfare
13. Welfare Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	347
14. Social Welfare Function Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	370
15. Other Normative Criteria Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	391
16 Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	407
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	417
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	455

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