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Optimal Taxation in a Dynamic Model of Shirking and Unemployment: Shapiro and Stiglitz Meet Chamley

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Abstract

This paper analyzes optimal taxation in an efficiency-wage economy with involuntary unemployment, thereby extending Chamley’s (1986) optimal-tax analysis of the standard full-employment case. For this purpose, we introduce optimal savings into the shirking-unemployment model of Shapiro and Stiglitz (1984), and go beyond their exclusive focus on steady-state equilibrium. Our most surprising result is that despite the presence of jobless workers the government should impose a positive tax (rather than subsidy) on wage income in the long run, if the labor market is sufficiently distorted.

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  • Richard A. Brecher & Zhiqi Chen & Ehsan Choudhri, 2007. "Optimal Taxation in a Dynamic Model of Shirking and Unemployment: Shapiro and Stiglitz Meet Chamley," Carleton Economic Papers 07-07, Carleton University, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:car:carecp:07-07
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shouyong Shi, 1997. "A Divisible Search Model of Fiat Money," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(1), pages 75-102, January.
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    3. Richard A. Breche & Zhiqi Chen & Ehsan U. Choudhri, 2002. "Unemployment and Growth in the Long Run: An Efficiency-Wage Model with Optimal Savings," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 43(3), pages 875-894, August.
    4. Michelle Alexopoulos, 2006. "Shirking in a monetary business cycle model," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(3), pages 689-718, August.
    5. Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2000. "Methods of Macroeconomic Dynamics, 2nd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262201232, December.
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    7. Chamley, Christophe, 1986. "Optimal Taxation of Capital Income in General Equilibrium with Infinite Lives," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(3), pages 607-622, May.
    8. Richard A. Brecher & Zhiqi Chen, 2007. "Comment on Chamley's (1986) Optimal Taxation of Capital," Carleton Economic Papers 07-05, Carleton University, Department of Economics.
    9. Shapiro, Carl & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1984. "Equilibrium Unemployment as a Worker Discipline Device," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 74(3), pages 433-444, June.
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    1. Richard A. Brecher & Zhiqi Chen, 2010. "Unemployment of Skilled and Unskilled Labor in an Open Economy: International Trade, Migration, and Outsourcing," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(5), pages 990-1000, November.

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