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Horizontal Inequity and Vertical Redistribution with Indirect Taxes: The Greek Case

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  • Georgia Kaplanoglou
  • David M. Newbery

Abstract

Non-uniform indirect taxes treat equals and those unequal differently (horizontal inequity and vertical redistribution). Horizontal inequity is caused by taste differences among similar households, but some excises are designed to reflect social, not revealed, preferences. We apply two methodologies for decomposing the overall redistributive effect of the present and three alternative indirect tax structures into vertical and horizontal effects for Greece, using the 1998-99 Household Expenditure Survey micro-database. In all cases, the taste component is considerable, even when we allow for social preferences, while improvements in vertical redistribution can be achieved, albeit at the cost of increased horizontal inequity. Copyright (c) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (c) Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2008.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgia Kaplanoglou & David M. Newbery, 2008. "Horizontal Inequity and Vertical Redistribution with Indirect Taxes: The Greek Case," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 29(2), pages 257-284, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ifs:fistud:v:29:y:2008:i:2:p:257-284
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Georgia Kaplanoglou, 2015. "Who Pays Indirect Taxes in Greece? From EU Entry to the Fiscal Crisis," Public Finance Review, , vol. 43(4), pages 529-556, July.
    2. Amedeo Argentiero & Sandro Casal & Luigi Mittone & Azzurra Morreale, 2021. "Tax evasion and inequality: some theoretical and empirical insights," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 309-320, December.
    3. Luis Huesca, 2017. "Income redistribution and inequality in the Mexican tax-benefit system," Revista Cuadernos de Economia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, FCE, CID, vol. 36(72), October.
    4. Andriopoulou, Eirini & Karakitsios, Alexandros & Tsakloglou, Panos, 2017. "Inequality and poverty in Greece: Changes in times of crisis," GLO Discussion Paper Series 119, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Bernardi, Luigi, 2009. "Le tasse in Europa dagli anni novanta [Taxation in Europe since the Years 1990s]," MPRA Paper 23441, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Luis Huesca & Arturo Robles Valencia & Abdelkrim Araar, 2015. "Progressivity and decomposition of VAT in the Mexican border, 2014," Estudios Regionales en Economía, Población y Desarrollo. Cuadernos de Trabajo de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. 25, Cuerpo Académico 41 de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, revised 01 Jan 2015.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General

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