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The taxation of capital returns in overlapping generations models

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  • DAVILA, Julio

Abstract

This paper shows that in the Diamond (1965) overlapping generations economy with production and capital savings, there is a period-by-period balanced fiscal policy supporting a steady state allocation that Pareto-improves upon the laissez-faire competitive equilibrium steady state (whether dynamically inefficient or efficient) without resorting to intergenerational transfers. The policy consists of taxing linearly (or subsidizing, in the dynamically efficient case) the returns to capital, while balancing the budget period by period through a lump-sum transfer (or tax, respectively) in second period. This intervention grants every generation the highest steady state utility attainable through markets (i.e. remunerating factors by their marginal productivities and without transfers) which under laissez-faire is not a competitive equilibrium outcome. A transition from the competitive equilibrium steady state to this other steady state is also Pareto-improving when the former is dynamically inefficient. The result disentangles from redistributive considerations the impact of the taxation of capital returns on steady state welfare, and thus provides a rationale for the taxation of capital returns that is based on efficiency considerations and not on redistributive goals.
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(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
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(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • DAVILA, Julio, 2012. "The taxation of capital returns in overlapping generations models," LIDAM Reprints CORE 2397, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvrp:2397
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmacro.2011.12.010
    Note: In : Journal of Macroeconomics, 34(2), 441-453, 2012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. James B. Bullard & Carlos Garriga & Christopher J. Waller, 2012. "Demographics, redistribution, and optimal inflation," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue Nov, pages 419-440.
    2. Hiraguchi, Ryoji & Shibata, Akihisa, 2015. "Taxing capital is a good idea: The role of idiosyncratic risk in an OLG model," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 258-269.
    3. Gupta, Rangan & Stander, Lardo, 2018. "Endogenous fluctuations in an endogenous growth model: An analysis of inflation targeting as a policy," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 1-8.
    4. repec:fip:fedlps:y:2012:i:may30 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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