Do taxes matter for long-run growth?: Harberger's superneutrality conjecture

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Do taxes matter for long-run growth?: Harberger's superneutrality conjecture

Author Info

Enrique G. Mendoza
Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti
Patrick Asea

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Abstract

Harberger's supemeutrality conjecture contends that, although in theory the mix of direct and indirect taxes affects investment and growth, in practice growth effects of taxation are negligible. This paper provides evidence in support of this view by testing the predictions of endogenous growth models driven by human capital accumulation. Theoretical analysis highlights implications of different taxes for growth and investment in these models. The empirical work is based on cross-country regressions and numerical simulations, using a new methodology for estimating aggregate effective tax rates. Results show significant investment effects from income and consumption taxes that are consistent with small growth effects. The results are robust to the introduction of other growth determinants.

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Paper provided by Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.) in its series International Finance Discussion Papers with number 511.

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Date of creation: 1995
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Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgif:511

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Keywords: Taxation;

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Paper
- Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti & Enrique G. Mendoza & Patrick K. Asea, 1995. "Do Taxes Matter for Long-Run Growth? Harberger's Superneutrality Conjecture," IMF Working Papers 95/79, International Monetary Fund.

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

Gian Maria Milesi-Ferrett & Nouriel Roubini, 1995. "Growth Effects of Income and Consumption Taxes: Positive and Normative Analysis," NBER Working Papers 5317, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti & Nouriel Roubini, 1995. "Growth Effects of Income and Consumption Taxes: Positive and Normative Analysis," Working Papers 95-18, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
- Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti & Nouriel Roubini, 1995. "Growth Effects of Income and Consumption Taxes: Positive and Normative Analysis," IMF Working Papers 95/62, International Monetary Fund.
Marcin Piatkowski & Mariusz Jarmuzek, 2008. "Zero Corporate Income Tax in Moldova: Tax Competition and Its Implications for Eastern Europe," IMF Working Papers 08/203, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
José E. Boscá & José R. García & David Tagüas, 2005. "Effective Tax rates and Fiscal Convergence in the OECD: 1965-2001," Hacienda Pública Española, IEF, vol. 174(3), pages 119-141, September. [Downloadable!]
Jinli Zeng, 2002. "Reexamining the Interaction between Innovation and Capital Accumulation," Departmental Working Papers wp0203, National University of Singapore, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Zeng, Jinli, 2003. "Reexamining the interaction between innovation and capital accumulation," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 541-560, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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