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Relative Efficiency of AD Valorem and Unit Taxes: The Case of Endogenous Quality

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  • Liqun Liu

Abstract

This article studies the relative efficiency of unit and ad valorem taxes in a competitive market in which the quality of product is endogenous. The author finds that the relative efficiency of these two taxes depends on exactly how individuals value the quality of a product. Specifically, the unit tax welfare dominates the ad valorem tax in the “casket†case and the “full-price†case, whereas the ad valorem tax welfare dominates the unit tax in the “lightbulb†case.

Suggested Citation

  • Liqun Liu, 2003. "Relative Efficiency of AD Valorem and Unit Taxes: The Case of Endogenous Quality," Public Finance Review, , vol. 31(3), pages 291-301, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:31:y:2003:i:3:p:291-301
    DOI: 10.1177/1091142103031003004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Delipalla, Sofia & Keen, Michael, 1992. "The comparison between ad valorem and specific taxation under imperfect competition," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 351-367, December.
    2. Sobel, Russell S & Garrett, Thomas A, 1997. "Taxation and Product Quality: New Evidence from Generic Cigarettes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(4), pages 880-887, August.
    3. John Kay & Michael Keen, 1991. "Product Quality Under Specific and Ad Valorem Taxation," Public Finance Review, , vol. 19(2), pages 238-247, April.
    4. Barzel, Yoram, 1976. "An Alternative Approach to the Analysis of Taxation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 84(6), pages 1177-1197, December.
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    6. Umbeck, John, 1980. "Shipping the Good Apples Out: Some Ambiguities in the Interpretation of "Fixed Charge"," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(1), pages 199-208, February.
    7. D. B. Suits & R. A. Musgrave, 1953. "Ad Valorem and Unit Taxes Compared," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 67(4), pages 598-604.
    8. Skeath, Susan E. & Trandel, Gregory A., 1994. "A Pareto comparison of ad valorem and unit taxes in noncompetitive environments," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 53-71, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martin Peitz & Markus Reisinger, 2014. "Indirect Taxation in Vertical Oligopoly," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(4), pages 709-755, December.
    2. Laszlo Goerke & Frederik Herzberg & Thorsten Upmann, 2014. "Failure of ad valorem and specific tax equivalence under uncertainty," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 10(4), pages 387-402, December.
    3. Ueng, K.L. Glen & Huang, Che-Chiang & Hu, Jin-Li, 2017. "Specific Versus Ad Valorem Taxation With Tax Evasion In Imperfectly Competitive Markets," Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 58(2), pages 107-119, December.
    4. Liu, Liqun, 2011. "The Alchian-Allen theorem and the law of relative demand: The case of multiple quality-differentiable brands," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 52-57, January.

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