Skip to main content

Taxation of Capital

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics
  • 31 Accesses

Abstract

Taxes on the income from capital have generated a large debate for two reasons. First, the contrast between the arguments for efficiency and equity seems to be particularly sharp here. Second, there exists a variety of views on the appropriate choice of an economic model and its parametric values that are relevant for policy. In this exposition, emphasis will be put on the dynamic aspects of a uniform tax on capital in general equilibrium. In most economies the tax on capital discriminates between different sectors (corporate capital, housing) and induces some static efficiency cost. This cost will be considered only very briefly in comparison with the dynamic efficiency cost.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 6,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 8,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  • Atkinson, A.B.., and A. Sandmo. 1980. Welfare implications of the taxation of savings. Economic Journal 90: 529–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auerbach, A.J., and L.J. Kotlikoff. 1987. Dynamic fiscal policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Auerbach, A.J., L.J. Kotlikoff, and J. Skinner. 1983. The efficiency gains from dynamic tax reform. International Economic Review 24: 81–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barro, R.J. 1974. Are government bonds net wealth? Journal of Political Economy 82: 1095–1117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barro, R.J. 1979. On the determination of the public debt. Journal of Political Economy 87: 940–971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bovenberg, L.A. 1986. Capital income taxation in growing open economies. Journal of Public Economics 31(1986): 347–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamley, C.P. 1980. Optimal intertemporal taxation and the public debt. Cowles Foundation Discussion Paper No. 554.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamley, C.P. 1985. Efficient tax reform in a dynamic model of general equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics 100: 335–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamley, C.P. 1986. Optimal taxation of capital income in general equilibrium with infinite lives. Econometrica 54: 607–622.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamley, C.P., and B.D. Wright. 1986. Fiscal incidence in an overlapping generation model with a fixed factor. Mimeo: Hoover Institution.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, P.A. 1965. National debt in a neoclassical growth model. American Economic Review 55: 1125–1150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, P.A. 1970. Incidence of an interest income tax. Journal of Economic Theory 2: 211–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, P.A., and J.A. Mirrlees. 1971. Optimal taxation and public production. II: Tax rules. American Economic Review 61: 261–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldstein, M. 1974. Incidence of a capital income tax in a growing economy with variable savings rates. Review of Economic Studies 41: 505–513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Judd, K.L. 1985. Redistributive taxation in a simple perfect foresight model. Journal of Public Economics 28: 59–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pestieau, P. 1974. Optimal taxation and discount rate for public investment. Journal of Public Economics 3: 217–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stiglitz, J.E. 1978. Notes on estate taxes, redistribution and the concept of balanced growth path incidence. Journal of Political Economy 86: S137–S150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Summers, L. 1981a. Capital taxation and capital accumulation in a life cycle growth model. American Economic Review 71: 533–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Summers, L. 1981b. Taxation and corporate investment: A q-theory approach. Brooking Papers on Economic Activity 1: 67–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Copyright information

© 2018 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Chamley, C. (2018). Taxation of Capital. In: The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95189-5_1665

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics