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Impact Of Taxes And Transfers On Inequality In The Asia-Pacific Region

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  • Sally Torbert

    (International Budget Partnership)

Abstract

Governments that aim to adjust their fiscal policies to reduce inequality can look to several analytical tools that are being produced in Asia-Pacific countries, including commitment to equity studies and public expenditure reviews. The present paper contains a review of studies for 12 Asia-Pacific countries. Consistent with previous research on the impact of fiscal policies on inequality, the findings of the review show that policies such as targeted direct transfers, education spending and tax policies that favour direct instead of indirect taxes are most effective at inequality reduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Sally Torbert, 2022. "Impact Of Taxes And Transfers On Inequality In The Asia-Pacific Region," Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Journal, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), vol. 29(1), pages 43-65, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:unt:japsdj:v:29:y:2022:i:1:p:43-65
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fiscal policy; inequality; redistribution; taxes; transfers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • E63 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury Policy

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