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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.
    2. Kimball, Miles S, 1994. "Labor-Market Dynamics When Unemployment is a Worker Discipline Device," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(4), pages 1045-1059, September.
    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.
    6. Olivier Jean Blanchard & Stanley Fischer, 1989. "Lectures on Macroeconomics," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262022834, December.
    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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