From Optimal Tax Theory to Tax Policy : Retrospective and Prospective Views

Intro -- Contents -- Series Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- 1 Introduction -- 2 From Tax Theory to Policy: An Overview -- 2.1 Landmarks of Optimal Tax Theory -- 2.2 The Evolution of Policy and Advice -- 2.3 Challenges for the Theory of Tax Policy -- 2.4 Optimal Analysis versus Reform Analysis -- 2.5 Summary of Lessons for Tax Policy -- 3 Policy Lessons from Optimal Tax Theory -- 3.1 Uniformity of Commodity Taxes -- 3.2 Production Efficiency: Implications and Caveats -- 3.3 Capital Taxation and the Personal Tax Base -- 3.4 The Issue of Progressivity -- 3.5 Asymmetric Information and Market Failure -- 3.6 Policy Lessons from Normative Analysis -- 4 Relaxing the Second-Best Constraints -- 4.1 The Use of Supplementary Policy Instruments -- 4.2 Making Use of, and Acquiring, More Information -- 4.3 Conclusions -- 5 Challenges for Second-Best Analysis -- 5.1 Fundamentals of the Standard Approach -- 5.2 The Commitment Issue -- 5.3 Heterogeneous Preferences and Utility -- 5.4 Behavioral Issues -- 5.5 Political Economy -- 5.6 Concluding Comments -- References -- Index.