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Are Spanish governments really averse to inequality? a normative analysis using the 1999 Spanish tax reform

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  • Xisco Oliver Rullán

    (Universitat de les Illes Balears)

  • Amedeo Spadaro

    (DELTA and Universitat de les Illes Balears)

Abstract

In this paper we use the methodology proposed by Bourguignon and Spadaro (2000b) in order to analyze the changes in social preferences on inequality since the introduction of the 1999 reform of the Spanish Income Tax. Our starting point is the observed distribution of household incomes and marginal tax rates as computed in standard tax-benefit models. We show that it is possible to identify the social welfare function that would make the observed marginal tax rate schedule optimal, given certain simplifying assumptions on individual preferences. We apply this methodology to the 1998 and 1999 Spanish tax benefit systems, using the Spanish wave of the EC Household Panel. (Copyright: Fundación SEPI)

Suggested Citation

  • Xisco Oliver Rullán & Amedeo Spadaro, 2004. "Are Spanish governments really averse to inequality? a normative analysis using the 1999 Spanish tax reform," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 28(3), pages 551-566, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:iec:inveco:v:28:y:2004:i:3:p:551-566
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xisco Oliver & Amedeo Spadaro, 2003. "¿Renta Mínima o Mínimo Vital? Un Análisis sobre los Efectos Redistributivos de Posibles Reformas del Sistema Impositivo Español," DEA Working Papers 1, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Departament d'Economía Aplicada.
    2. Blundell, Richard & Macurdy, Thomas, 1999. "Labor supply: A review of alternative approaches," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1559-1695, Elsevier.
    3. Luis Ayala & Rosa Martínez & Jesús Ruiz Huerta, 2003. "Equivalence scales in tax and transfer policies," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 27(3), pages 593-614, September.
    4. Diamond, Peter A, 1998. "Optimal Income Taxation: An Example with a U-Shaped Pattern of Optimal Marginal Tax Rates," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(1), pages 83-95, March.
    5. J. A. Mirrlees, 1971. "An Exploration in the Theory of Optimum Income Taxation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 38(2), pages 175-208.
    6. Emmanuel Saez, 2001. "Using Elasticities to Derive Optimal Income Tax Rates," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 68(1), pages 205-229.
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    Cited by:

    1. François Bourguignon & Amedeo Spadaro, 2006. "Microsimulation as a tool for evaluating redistribution policies," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 4(1), pages 77-106, April.
    2. Creedy, John & Li, Shuyun May & Moslehi, Solmaz, 2010. "Inequality Aversion And The Optimal Composition Of Government Expenditure," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(S2), pages 290-306, November.
    3. Amedeo Spadaro, 2008. "Optimal taxation, social contract and the four worlds of welfare capitalism," Working Papers 98, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    4. Olivier Bargain & Amedeo Spadaro, 2008. "Optimal Taxation, Social Contract and the Four Worlds of Welfare Capitalism," Working Papers 200816, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    5. Amadéo Spadaro, 2008. "Optimal taxation, social contract and the four worlds of welfare capitalism," Working Papers halshs-00586290, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Micro-simulation; optimal income taxation; spanish income tax;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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