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Redistribution, Horizontal Inequity, and Reranking

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  • Ivica Urban

    (Institute of Public Finance, Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Peter J. Lambert

    (University of Oregon, Eugene)

Abstract

The decomposition of the Gini-based index of redistributive effect of an income tax into vertical, horizontal, and reranking contributions according to the model of Aronson, Johnson, and Lambert (AJL) is revisited. When close equals groups are used, rather than the exact equals groups on which the model is predicated, problems arise. A new measurement system is proposed, in which three distinct forms of reranking are disentangled and the vertical and horizontal contributions are redefined. Other approaches to measuring equity in tax systems are set in context. Findings are briefly applied to Croatian data, and recommendations for users of the AJL methodology are given.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivica Urban & Peter J. Lambert, 2008. "Redistribution, Horizontal Inequity, and Reranking," Public Finance Review, , vol. 36(5), pages 563-587, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:36:y:2008:i:5:p:563-587
    DOI: 10.1177/1091142107308295
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Ivica Urban, 2014. "Contributions of taxes and benefits to vertical and horizontal effects," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 42(3), pages 619-645, March.
    3. Andrea Albarea & Michele Bernasconi & Cinzia Di Novi & Anna Marenzi & Dino Rizzi & Francesca Zantomio, 2015. "Accounting for Tax Evasion Profiles and Tax Expenditures in Microsimulation Modelling. The BETAMOD Model for Personal Income Taxes in Italy," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 8(3), pages 99-136.
    4. Bengtsson, Niklas & Holmlund, Bertil & Waldenström, Daniel, 2012. "Lifetime versus Annual Tax Progressivity: Sweden, 1968–2009," IZA Discussion Papers 6641, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Luis Huesca, 2017. "Income redistribution and inequality in the Mexican tax-benefit system," Revista Cuadernos de Economía, Universidad Nacional de Colombia -FCE - CID, vol. 36(72), October.
    6. Achille VERNIZZI, 2009. "Playing with the Hadamard product in decomposing Gini, concentration, redistribution and re-ranking indexes," Departmental Working Papers 2009-50, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    7. Kinam Kim & Peter J. Lambert, 2009. "Redistributive Effect of U.S. Taxes and Public Transfers, 1994-2004," Public Finance Review, , vol. 37(1), pages 3-26, January.
    8. Peter Lambert & Thor Thoresen & Runa Nesbakken, 2010. "On the Meaning and Measurement of Redistribution in Cross-Country Comparisons," LIS Working papers 532, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    9. Essama-Nssah, B., 2008. "Assessing the redistributive effect of fiscal policy," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4592, The World Bank.
    10. Stefano Boscolo, 2020. "On the Horizontal Inequity Effect of the Erosion of the PIT Base: The Case of Italy," Department of Economics (DEMB) 0176, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    11. Luis A. Hierro & Rosario Gómez-Alvarez & Pedro Atienza, 2012. "The Contribution of US Taxes and Social Transfers to Income Redistribution," Public Finance Review, , vol. 40(3), pages 381-400, May.
    12. Mulenga, Arnold & Ataguba, John Ele-Ojo, 2017. "Assessing income redistributive effect of health financing in Zambia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 1-10.
    13. Mario Morger & Christoph A. Schaltegger, 2018. "Income tax schedule and redistribution in direct democracies – the Swiss case," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 16(3), pages 413-438, September.
    14. Nicolas Herault & Francisco Azpitarte, 2014. "Recent Trends in Income Redistribution in Australia: Can Changes in the Tax-Transfer System Account for the Decline in Redistribution?," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2014n02, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    15. Srdjan Djindjic, 2014. "The Redistributive Effects Of Personal Taxes And Social Benefits In The Republic Of Serbia," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, vol. 59(203), pages 91-118, October –.
    16. Ivica Urban, 2009. "Kakwani decomposition of redistributive effect: Origins, critics and upgrades," Working Papers 148, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    17. Peter J. Lambert & Runa Nesbakken & Thor O. Thoresen, 2015. "A common base answer to "Which country is most redistributive?"," Discussion Papers 811, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    18. Liu Baihui, 2017. "Redistributive Effect of Taxes and Transfers: Evidence from China," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 3(1), pages 43-51.
    19. Thor O. Thoresen & Zhiyang Jia & Peter J. Lambert, 2016. "Is there More Redistribution Now? A Review of Methods for Evaluating Tax Redistributional Effects," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 72(3), pages 302-333, September.
    20. Abu-Zaineh, Mohammad & Mataria, Awad & Luchini, Stéphane & Moatti, Jean-Paul, 2009. "Equity in health care finance in Palestine: The triple effects revealed," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 1071-1080, December.
    21. Mauro Mussini, 2014. "Decomposing inequality change from the perspective of reranking and income growth between income groups," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 619-637, September.
    22. Hai Zhong, 2009. "Extensions to decomposition of the redistributive effect of health care finance," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(10), pages 1176-1187, October.
    23. Stefano Boscolo, 2020. "On the Horizontal Inequity Effect of the Erosion of the PIT Base: The Case of Italy," Department of Economics 0176, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".

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