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Does tax structure affect economic growth? Empirical evidence from OECD countries

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  • Jing Xing

    (Nuffield College, Department of Economics, and Centre for Business Taxation, University of Oxford, UK)

Abstract

This study estimates the effects of revenue-neutral tax structure changes on the long-run level of income per capita using panel data for 17 OECD countries over the period 1970-2004. In contrast to previous studies, we do not find a robust ranking of different types of taxes in terms of their "growth effects". In particular, we do not obtain compelling evidence favouring consumption taxes over income taxes, or favouring personal income taxes over corporate income taxes. The only robust result appears to be that shifts in tax revenue towards property taxes are associated with a higher level of income per capita in the long run.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Xing, 2011. "Does tax structure affect economic growth? Empirical evidence from OECD countries," Working Papers 1120, Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation.
    • Handle: RePEc:btx:wpaper:1120
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    Cited by:

    1. Lucas Menescal & José Alves, 2022. "Optimal Threshold Taxation: An Empirical Investigation for Developing Economies," CESifo Working Paper Series 9782, CESifo.
    2. Yadawananda Neog & Achal Kumar Gaur, 2020. "Tax structure and economic growth: a study of selected Indian states," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Nazila Alinaghi & W. Robert Reed, 2021. "Taxes and Economic Growth in OECD Countries: A Meta-analysis," Public Finance Review, , vol. 49(1), pages 3-40, January.
    4. Athanasios ANASTASIOU & Vasiliki KREMASTIOTI, 2021. "The impact of taxation on growth: the case of Greece," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(2(627), S), pages 285-293, Summer.
    5. Martina Yakova, 2018. "Analysis of the tax systems in the EU countries," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 93-112.
    6. Xing, Jing, 2012. "Tax structure and growth: How robust is the empirical evidence?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 379-382.
    7. CPB Netherlands & CAPP, 2013. "Study on the Impacts of Fiscal Devaluation," Taxation Papers 36, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
    8. Doris Prammer, 2011. "Quality of taxation and the crisis: Tax shifts from a growth perspective," Taxation Papers 29, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
    9. Emilian DOBRESCU, 2016. "Controversies over the Size of the Public Budget," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(4), pages 5-34, December.
    10. Kyle McNabb, 2016. "Tax structures and economic growth: New evidence from the Government Revenue Dataset," WIDER Working Paper Series 148, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Kyle McNabb, 2016. "Tax structures and economic growth: New evidence from the Government Revenue Dataset," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-148, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    12. Stoyan Tanchev, 2019. "Tax structure and economic growth: empirical evidence from Bulgaria," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 5, pages 24-41,42-58.
    13. Stoyan Tanchev & Ivan Todorov, 2019. "Tax Buoyancy and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence of Bulgaria," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 5(3), pages 236-248.
    14. Norman Gemmell & Richard Kneller & Ismael Sanz, 2016. "Does the Composition of Government Expenditure Matter for Long-Run GDP Levels?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 78(4), pages 522-547, August.
    15. Mura Petru-Ovidiu, 2015. "Tax Composition And Economic Growth. A Panel-Model Approach For Eastern Europe," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1, pages 89-101, February.
    16. Emilian Dobrescu, 2018. "Functional trinity of public finance in an emerging economy," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 7(1), pages 1-27, December.
    17. Mehmed GANIĆ & Mahir HRNJIC, 2019. "Does a country’s business regulatory environment affect its attractiveness to FDI? Empirical evidence from Central and Southeast European countries," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 10, pages 89-105, December.
    18. Zhang, Lifeng & Ru, Yucong & Li, Jingkui, 2016. "Optimal tax structure and public expenditure composition in a simple model of endogenous growth," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 352-360.
    19. Dima Bogdan & Dima Ştefana Maria, 2017. "Does Corporate Tax Burden Affect Growth? Evidences from OECD Countries," Journal of Heterodox Economics, Sciendo, vol. 4(2), pages 51-80, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax structure; growth;

    JEL classification:

    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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