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The sinful side of taxation: is it possible to satisfy the government hunger for revenues while promoting economic growth?

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  • José Alves

Abstract

In this study we try to evaluate both linear and non-linear relationships between each tax item and real per capita growth. Our analysis, conducted for all the OECD countries between 1980 and 2015 and by resorting to panel data techniques in a short and long-term basis, evidences tax items threshold values for all tax components (except for taxes on individual income). In particular, for long-run economic performance, we obtain optimal threshold values for social security contributions between 7.0% and 12.43%. Lastly, our results provide some conclusions, highlighting the raise of some taxes, in GDP terms, without harming economic growth evolution.

Suggested Citation

  • José Alves, 2018. "The sinful side of taxation: is it possible to satisfy the government hunger for revenues while promoting economic growth?," Working Papers REM 2018/57, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    • Handle: RePEc:ise:remwps:wp0572018
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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.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic Growth; Tax systems; Fiscal Policy; Optimal taxation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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