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Employment and Growth Effects of Tax Reforms

Author

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  • Michaelis, Jochen
  • Birk, Angela

Abstract

This paper explores how revenue-neutral tax reforms impact employment and economic growth in a model of endogenous growth and search frictions on the labor market. We analyze how savings and the incentive to create new jobs are affected by tax swaps between wage income taxes, payroll taxes, capital income taxes and taxes levied on capital costs. In our framework, the payroll tax is found to be neutral. If this tax is used to finance a cut in the capital income tax, we will observe an increase in both growth and, via the capitalization effect, employment. Most other tax reforms, however, imply a trade-off between employment and growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Michaelis, Jochen & Birk, Angela, 2004. "Employment and Growth Effects of Tax Reforms," HWWA Discussion Papers 283, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWA).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:hwwadp:26275
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Yanhua Mao, 2024. "Tax Incentives, R&D Investment, and Employment Absorption: Evidence from Chinese Technology-Based SMEs," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, May.
    3. Karpavičius, Sigitas & Yu, Fan, 2016. "Should interest expenses be tax deductible?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 100-116.
    4. Lars Kunze & Christiane Schuppert, 2010. "Financing social security by taxing capital income: A bad idea?," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 66(3), pages 243-262, September.
    5. Su, Junjia & Xiang, Lijin & Si, Deng-Kui, 2025. "Unintended environmental gains: The impact of social insurance contribution cut on corporate carbon emission reduction," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1839-1857.
    6. Jochen Michaelis & Alexander Spermann, 2009. "Geringqualifizierte Arbeit, Marktlöhne und Sozialpolitik: Konzepte für Deutschland," MAGKS Papers on Economics 200920, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    7. Reinhold Kosfeld & Hans-Friedrich Eckey & Jorgen Lauridsen, 2008. "Disparities in Prices and Income across German NUTS 3 Regions," Applied Economics Quarterly (formerly: Konjunkturpolitik), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 54(2), pages 123-141.
    8. Halit Yanikkaya & Taner Turan, 2020. "Tax Structure And Economic Growth: Do Differences In Income Level And Government Effectiveness Matter?," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 65(01), pages 217-237, March.
    9. Lars Kunze & Christiane Schuppert, 2009. "Financing Social Security by Taxing Capital Income – A Bad Idea?," Ruhr Economic Papers 0090, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Iwona Mertin & Ognian N. Hishow, 2007. "Analysis of the success and failure in the labour markets of selected EU member-states: macroeconomic aspects," IWE Working Papers 176, Institute for World Economics - Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    11. Krajňák, Michal & Krzikallová, Kateřina & Friedrich, Václav, 2022. "Does political orientation affect economic indicators in the Czech Republic?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 1219-1231.
    12. Jerger, Jürgen & Michaelis, Jochen, 2007. "Warum beobachten wir so wenig Arbeitnehmer-Gewinnbeteiligung?," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 94, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    13. Halit Yanikkaya & Taner Turan, 2018. "Tax Structure And Economic Growth: Do Differences In Income Level And Government Effectiveness Matter?," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 65(01), pages 217-237, May.
    14. Michaelis, Jochen, 2007. "Internationaler Handel," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 91, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    15. Eckey, Hans-Friedrich & Kosfeld, Reinhold & Türck, Matthias, 2007. "Anmerkung zur Identifikation von Förderregionen in der Gemeinschaftsaufgabe," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 90, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    16. Zuo, Shengqiang & Wu, Bangzheng & Feng, Jun, 2023. "Does government reduction of the corporate income tax rate increase employment? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 365-372.
    17. Schmidt, André, 2007. "Per-se-Rule, Rule of Reason und der "more economic approach"," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 92, University of Kassel, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    18. Bishnu, Monisankar & Ghate, Chetan & Gopalakrishnan, Pawan, 2016. "Factor income taxation, growth, and investment specific technological change," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 133-152.

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    JEL classification:

    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity
    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook

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