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Commodity Taxation under Habit Formation and Myopia

Author

Listed:
  • Cremer Helmuth

    (Toulouse School of Economics)

  • De Donder Philippe

    (Toulouse School of Economics)

  • Maldonado Dario

    (Universidad del Rosario and CeiBA - Complejidad)

  • Pestieau Pierre

    (University of Liège and Université Catholique de Louvain)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the pattern of consumption taxes in a two period model with habit formation and myopia. An individual's second-period needs increase with first period consumption. However, myopic individuals do not see this habit formation relation when they take their saving decision. The first-best solution is decentralized by a simple "Pigouvian" (paternalistic) consumption tax (along with suitable lump-sum taxes). In a second-best setting, when personalized lump-sum transfers are not available, consumption taxes may have conflicting paternalistic and redistributive effects. Taxes should discourage consumption of goods that entail negative externalities (unforeseen habits), but instead they discourage less the consumption of goods that are proportionately consumed by individuals with high net social marginal utility of income. Both myopic and farsighted individuals may benefit more from the second-best policy as the proportion of myopic agents in society increases.

Suggested Citation

  • Cremer Helmuth & De Donder Philippe & Maldonado Dario & Pestieau Pierre, 2010. "Commodity Taxation under Habit Formation and Myopia," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-27, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:10:y:2010:i:1:n:89
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1682.2453
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    Cited by:

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    2. Koehne, Sebastian & Kuhn, Moritz, 2015. "Optimal taxation in a habit formation economy," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 31-39.
    3. Laszlo Goerke, 2021. "Habit formation and wage determination," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(1), pages 61-76, January.
    4. Inge van den Bijgaart, 2018. "Too Slow a Change? Deep Habits, Consumption Shifts and Transitory Tax Policy," CESifo Working Paper Series 6958, CESifo.
    5. Goerke, Laszlo, 2020. "An Efficiency-Wage Model with Habit Concerns about Wages," IZA Discussion Papers 13454, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. van den Bijgaart, Inge, 2016. "Essays in environmental economics and policy," Other publications TiSEM 298bee2a-cb08-4173-9fe1-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. van den Bijgaart, I.M., 2017. "Too slow a change? Deep habits, consumption shifts and transitory tax," Working Papers in Economics 701, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.

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