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Iceland's Natural Experiment in Supply-Side Economics

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Bianchi
  • Bjorn R. Gudmundsson
  • Gylfi Zoega

Abstract

The move to a pay-as-you-earn income tax system in Iceland in 1987-1988 made income earned in 1987 tax-free. Using a sample of 9,274 individuals for the years 1986, 1987 and 1988, we calculate the labour-supply response of this change and find that total labour supply rose by 6.7% in 1987 over the average of 1986 and 1988 when we correct for entry in 1988. This consists of an 8.6% increase in weeks supplied by those already in the labour market in 1986 and a 1.9% decline due to entry/exit. The elasticity of weeks worked to the rise in after-tax wages was 0.41 for men and 0.11 for women. While the participation rate of women increased somewhat in our sample, participation by men fell.
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Suggested Citation

  • Marco Bianchi & Bjorn R. Gudmundsson & Gylfi Zoega, 2001. "Iceland's Natural Experiment in Supply-Side Economics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1564-1579, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:91:y:2001:i:5:p:1564-1579
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.91.5.1564
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fullerton, Don, 1982. "On the possibility of an inverse relationship between tax rates and government revenues," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 3-22, October.
    2. Feldstein, Martin, 1986. "Supply Side Economics: Old Truths and New Claims," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 26-30, May.
    3. Jerry A. Hausman, 1983. "Stochastic Problems in the Simulation of Labor Supply," NBER Chapters, in: Behavioral Simulation Methods in Tax Policy Analysis, pages 47-82, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Nada Eissa & Jeffrey B. Liebman, 1996. "Labor Supply Response to the Earned Income Tax Credit," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 111(2), pages 605-637.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E65 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Studies of Particular Policy Episodes
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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