IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/pubfin/v24y1996i1p3-24.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Should Education Be Subsidized?

Author

Listed:
  • Philip A. Trostel

    (Hong Kong University of Science & Technology)

Abstract

An efficiency argument for public subsidies to education is proposed in this study. Subsidizing education is shown to be welfare improving because it makes the tax system less distortionary. Income taxation causes a less than efficient amount of investment in human capital, and induces an inefficient mix of human capital investments. Taxation causes too few goods, and relatively too much time, to be invested in human capital. Lowering the private cost ofgoods invested in human capital counteracts these tax distortions, thus it can be efficient to subsidize education.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip A. Trostel, 1996. "Should Education Be Subsidized?," Public Finance Review, , vol. 24(1), pages 3-24, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:24:y:1996:i:1:p:3-24
    DOI: 10.1177/109114219602400101
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/109114219602400101
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/109114219602400101?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gary S. Becker & Kevin M. Murphy & Robert Tamura, 1994. "Human Capital, Fertility, and Economic Growth," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition, pages 323-350, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Judd, Kenneth L, 1987. "The Welfare Cost of Factor Taxation in a Perfect-Foresight Model," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 95(4), pages 675-709, August.
    3. James Davies & John Whalley, 1991. "Taxes and Capital Formation: How Important is Human Capital?," NBER Chapters, in: National Saving and Economic Performance, pages 163-200, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Trostel, Philip A, 1993. "The Effect of Taxation on Human Capital," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(2), pages 327-350, April.
    5. Lucas, Robert E, Jr, 1990. "Supply-Side Economics: An Analytical Review," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 42(2), pages 293-316, April.
    6. John R. Lott, Jr., 1987. "Why Is Education Publicly Provided? A Critical Survey," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 7(2), pages 475-501, Fall.
    7. Driffill, E John & Rosen, Harvey S, 1983. "Taxation and Excess Burden: A Life Cycle Perspective," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 24(3), pages 671-683, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Asplund, Rita, 2004. "A Macroeconomic Perspective on Education and Inequality," Discussion Papers 906, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    2. Nicholas Lawson, 2014. "Liquidity Constraints, Fiscal Externalities and Optimal Tuition Subsidies Optimal College Tuition Subsidies," AMSE Working Papers 1404, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France, revised 18 Mar 2014.
    3. Yoo, Yoonha, 2002. "Economics of Private Tutoring: In Search for Its Causes and Effective Cures," KDI Research Monographs, Korea Development Institute (KDI), volume 127, number 200201.
    4. Richter, Wolfram F., 2006. "Taxing Human Capital Efficiently: The Double Dividend of Taxing Non-Qualified Labour More Heavily Than Qualified Labour," IZA Discussion Papers 2328, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Nicholas Lawson, 2017. "Liquidity Constraints, Fiscal Externalities, and Optimal Tuition Subsidies," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 313-343, November.
    6. Salvatore Barbaro, 2004. "Tax Distortion, Countervailing Subsidies and Income Redistribution," Departmental Discussion Papers 121, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    7. Robert A.J. Dur & Coen N. Teulings, 2001. "Education and Efficient Redistribution," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 01-090/3, Tinbergen Institute, revised 12 Jun 2003.
    8. Wolfram F. Richter, 2007. "Taxing Human Capital Efficiently – The Double Dividend of Taxing Nonqualified Labour More Heavily Than Qualified Labour," Ruhr Economic Papers 0012, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    9. Frank Kupferschmidt & Berthold U. Wigger, 2006. "Öffentliche versus private Finanzierung der Hochschulbildung: Effizienz‐ und Verteilungsaspekte," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 7(2), pages 285-307, May.
    10. repec:zbw:rwirep:0012 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Schmidtchen, Dieter & Kirstein, Roland, 2005. "Mehr Markt im Hochschulbereich: Zur Effizienz und Gerechtigkeit von Studiengebühren," CSLE Discussion Paper Series 2005-05, Saarland University, CSLE - Center for the Study of Law and Economics.
    12. William R. Johnson, 2004. "When is the Efficient Subsidy to Higher Education the Equitable Subsidy ?," Virginia Economics Online Papers 366, University of Virginia, Department of Economics.
    13. Rosenow, Jan & Platt, Reg & Demurtas, Andrea, 2014. "Fiscal impacts of energy efficiency programmes—The example of solid wall insulation investment in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 610-620.
    14. Chaitali Sinha, 2014. "Human Capital and Public Policy," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 3(1), pages 79-125, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Berthold U. Wigger, 2004. "On the Intergenerational Incidence of Wage and Consumption Taxes," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 6(1), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Debajyoti Chakrabarty, 2022. "Taxation and human capital accumulation with endogenous mortality," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 73(4), pages 555-596, October.
    3. Cruz Echevarria & Amaia Iza, 2000. "Income Taxation and Finite Horizons in a Human Capital Model," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 7(6), pages 665-689, December.
    4. Chaitali Sinha, 2014. "Human Capital and Public Policy," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 3(1), pages 79-125, June.
    5. Theo Eicher & Stephen Turnovsky & Maria Carme Riera i Prunera, 2003. "Effects of differential taxation on factor accumulation and growth," Working Papers in Economics 98, Universitat de Barcelona. Espai de Recerca en Economia.
    6. Philip Trostel & Ian Walker, 2006. "Education and Work," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 377-399.
    7. Daehaeng Kim & Chul-In Lee, 2007. "On-the-Job Human Capital Accumulation in a Real Business Cycle Model: Implications for Intertemporal Substitution Elasticity and Labor Hoarding," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 10(3), pages 494-518, July.
    8. 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.
    9. Trostel, Philip A., 1995. "The Effect of Deficit Finance on Human Capital," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 48(4), pages 531-546, December.
    10. Lutz Hendricks, 2001. "How Do Taxes Affect Human Capital? The Role of Intergenerational Mobility," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 4(3), pages 695-735, July.
    11. Bovenberg, A. Lans & van Ewijk, Casper, 1997. "Progressive taxes, equity, and human capital accumulation in an endogenous growth model with overlapping generations," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 153-179, May.
    12. Syed M. Ahsan & Panagiotis Tsigaris, 2011. "The Utility Compensated Effects of a Wage Tax on Human Capital and Consumption Decisions," Public Finance Review, , vol. 39(4), pages 571-593, July.
    13. Davies, James B. & Zeng, Jinli & Zhang, Jie, 2000. "Consumption vs. income taxes when private human capital investments are imperfectly observable," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 1-28, July.
    14. Razin, Assaf & Yuen, Chi-Wa, 1996. "Capital income taxation and long-run growth: New perspectives," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 239-263, February.
    15. Hendricks, Lutz, 1999. "Taxation and long-run growth1," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 411-434, April.
    16. Lutz Hendricks, 2001. "How Do Taxes Affect Human Capital? The Role of Intergenerational Mobility," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 4(3), pages 695-735, July.
    17. Petrucci, Alberto, 2015. "Optimal income taxation in models with endogenous fertility," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 216-225.
    18. Mr. John J Matovu & Ms. Era Dabla-Norris, 2002. "Composition of Government Expenditures and Demand for Education in Developing Countries," IMF Working Papers 2002/078, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Hendricks, Lutz, "undated". "Taxation and Long-Run Growth," Working Papers 96/2, Arizona State University, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:24:y:1996:i:1:p:3-24. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.