IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i22p6405-d286914.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Flat-Rate versus Progressive Taxation? An Impact Evaluation Study for the Case of Romania

Author

Listed:
  • Madalina Ecaterina Popescu

    (National Scientific Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection, 010643 Bucharest, Romania
    The Faculty of Economic Cybernetics, Statistics and Informatics, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Eva Militaru

    (National Scientific Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection, 010643 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Larisa Stanila

    (National Scientific Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection, 010643 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Maria Denisa Vasilescu

    (National Scientific Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection, 010643 Bucharest, Romania
    The Faculty of Economic Cybernetics, Statistics and Informatics, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Amalia Cristescu

    (National Scientific Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection, 010643 Bucharest, Romania
    The Faculty of Theoretical and Applied Economics, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

Taking into consideration the recent debates on adopting a progressive tax system over the flat-rate taxation, our paper aims to investigate the impact of a change in the current Romanian personal income tax policy system from the 10% flat-rate tax system to some alternative progressive taxation scenarios. The methodological approach consisted in using the European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) database to micro-simulate the impact upon poverty and income inequality. Through our ex-ante tax policy analysis we bring empirical evidence of a modest, but positive effect upon poverty rate and income inequalities in favor of a progressive taxation system. However, when looking at the government financial implications through the personal income tax budget revenues, we discuss upon the possible trade-off between the benefits on poverty and income inequalities and the possible budgetary drawbacks. Despite the data limitations, this study has the benefit of being among the first attempts to evaluate the impact of a personal income tax policy reform for the case of Romania.

Suggested Citation

  • Madalina Ecaterina Popescu & Eva Militaru & Larisa Stanila & Maria Denisa Vasilescu & Amalia Cristescu, 2019. "Flat-Rate versus Progressive Taxation? An Impact Evaluation Study for the Case of Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6405-:d:286914
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/22/6405/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/22/6405/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Slemrod,Joel, 1997. "Tax Progressivity and Income Inequality," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521587761.
    2. Maarten Goos & Alan Manning & Anna Salomons, 2009. "Job Polarization in Europe," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 58-63, May.
    3. Monica Mihaela MAER MATEI & Ana-Maria ZAMFIR & Cristina MOCANU, 2018. "Labour Market Resilience- Comparative Evidence From Romanian Counties," Network Intelligence Studies, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 11, pages 59-66, July.
    4. Conesa, Juan Carlos & Krueger, Dirk, 2006. "On the optimal progressivity of the income tax code," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(7), pages 1425-1450, October.
    5. Andrei Ionut Husman, 2018. "Taxation Of Employees In Romania In 2018. Changes And Its Results On The Country’S Economy," Oradea Journal of Business and Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 3(special), pages 46-55, May.
    6. Diana Alessandrini, 2021. "Progressive Taxation and Economic Stability," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 123(2), pages 422-452, April.
    7. Elhanan Helpman & Oleg Itskhoki & Stephen Redding, 2010. "Inequality and Unemployment in a Global Economy," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 78(4), pages 1239-1283, July.
    8. Primoz Dolenc & Suzana Laporsek, 2012. "Labour Taxation and Its Impact on Employment Growth," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 10(3 (Fall)), pages 301-318.
    9. Gentry, William M. & Hubbard, R. Glenn, 2004. "The effects of progressive income taxation on job turnover," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(11), pages 2301-2322, September.
    10. Athena Kalyva & Savina Prince & Alexander Leodolter & Caterina Astarita, 2018. "Labour Taxation and Inclusive Growth," European Economy - Discussion Papers 084, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    11. Michiel Evers & Ruud Mooij & Daniel Vuuren, 2008. "The Wage Elasticity of Labour Supply: A Synthesis of Empirical Estimates," De Economist, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 25-43, March.
    12. Claudiu Doltu, 2019. "The truth about flat-rate income tax in Romania," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 1, pages 3-9.
    13. Peter Diamond & Emmanuel Saez, 2011. "The Case for a Progressive Tax: From Basic Research to Policy Recommendations," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 25(4), pages 165-190, Fall.
    14. Sarah Godar & Christoph Paetz & Achim Truger, 2015. "The scope for progressive tax reform in the OECD countries. A macroeconomic perspective with a case study for Germany," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(5), pages 79-117.
    15. Fabrizio Mattesini & Lorenza Rossi, 2012. "Monetary Policy and Automatic Stabilizers: The Role of Progressive Taxation," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(5), pages 825-862, August.
    16. Isabelle Joumard & Mauro Pisu & Debbie Bloch, 2012. "Tackling income inequality: The role of taxes and transfers," OECD Journal: Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2012(1), pages 37-70.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Enriqueta Mancilla-Rendón & Marcela Astudillo-Moya & Carmen Lozano, 2021. "Tax Rate of Management Control: The Mexican Income Tax Rates System for Resident and Non-Residents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Andrei Gheorghiță, 2023. "Understanding Public Support for the Flat-Rate Personal Income Tax in a Post-Communist Context: The Case of Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, May.
    3. D.E. Lapov & I.A. Mayburov, 2020. "Possibilities of Accounting for the Real Tax Burden When Modeling the Scale of Income Taxation," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 19(2), pages 129-148.
    4. Marcus-Radu Man & Sorana Vatavu, 2022. "Can progressive taxation contribute to human development?," Journal of Financial Studies, Institute of Financial Studies, vol. 13(7), pages 132-145, November.
    5. repec:fst:rfsisf:v:7:y:2022:i:13:p:132-145 is not listed on IDEAS

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:ilo:ilowps:485510 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Sebastian Koehne & Nicola Pavoni & Arpad Abraham, 2011. "Optimal Income Taxation with Asset Accumulation," 2011 Meeting Papers 1161, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    3. Bulent Unel, 2019. "A model of occupational choice, offshoring and immigration," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 267-289, February.
    4. Jean‐Baptiste Michau, 2021. "On the Provision of Insurance against Search‐Induced Wage Fluctuations," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 123(1), pages 382-414, January.
    5. Michal Horvath & Matus Senaj & Zuzana Siebertova & Norbert Svarda, 2015. "The End of the Flat Tax Experiment in Slovakia," Discussion Papers 15/12, Department of Economics, University of York.
    6. Diego Daruich, 2017. "From Childhood to Adult Inequality: Parental Investments and Early Childhood Development," 2017 Meeting Papers 770, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    7. Boháček, Radim & Kejak, Michal, 2018. "Optimal government policies in models with heterogeneous agents," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 834-858.
    8. Löffler, Max & Peichl, Andreas & Siegloch, Sebastian, 2013. "Validating Structural Labor Supply Models," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79819, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Daniele Coen‐Pirani, 2021. "Geographic Mobility And Redistribution," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 62(3), pages 921-952, August.
    10. Sly, Nicholas, 2010. "Skill Acquisition, Incentive Contracts and Jobs: Labor Market Adjustment to Trade," MPRA Paper 25004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Davidson, Carl & Heyman, Fredrik & Matusz, Steven & Sjöholm, Fredrik & Zhu, Susan Chun, 2020. "Globalization, the jobs ladder and economic mobility," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    12. Michal Fabinger & E. Glen Weyl, 2018. "Functional Forms for Tractable Economic Models and the Cost Structure of International Trade," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-1092, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    13. Antràs, Pol & de Gortari, Alonso & Itskhoki, Oleg, 2017. "Globalization, inequality and welfare," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 387-412.
    14. MIYOSHI Yoshiyuki, 2017. "Does Sales Factor Apportionment Benefit the Welfare of State?," Discussion papers 17124, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    15. Cruz Echevarría, 2015. "Income tax progressivity, growth, income inequality and welfare," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 43-72, March.
    16. William Peterman, 2016. "The effect of endogenous human capital accumulation on optimal taxation," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 21, pages 46-71, July.
    17. Nezih Guner & Javier López-Segovia & Roberto Ramos, 2020. "Reforming the individual income tax in Spain," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 369-406, December.
    18. Krajňák Michal, 2023. "Does the Type of Nominal Personal Income Tax Rate Affect Its Progressivity? A Case Study from the Czech Republic," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 93-111, September.
    19. Wolfgang Lechthaler & Mariya Mileva, 2019. "Trade liberalization and wage inequality: new insights from a dynamic trade model with heterogeneous firms and comparative advantage," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 155(3), pages 407-457, August.
    20. Vanesa Jorda & Jose M. Alonso, 2020. "What works to mitigate and reduce relative (and absolute) inequality?: A systematic review," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-152, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    21. Yongsung Chang & Yena Park, 2021. "Optimal Taxation with Private Insurance [Uninsured Idiosyncratic Risk and Aggregate Saving]," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 88(6), pages 2766-2798.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6405-:d:286914. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.