U.S. survey respondents' views on distributive justice are shown to differ in two specific, related ways from what is conventionally assumed in modern optimal tax research. A large share of respondents, and in some cases a large majority, resist the full equalization of inequality due to brute...

U.S. survey respondents' views on distributive justice are shown to differ in two specific, related ways from what is conventionally assumed in modern optimal tax research. A large share of respondents, and in some cases a large majority, resist the full equalization of inequality due to brute...

This paper explores how the persistently popular "classical" logic of benefit-based taxation, in which an individual's benefit from public goods is tied to his or her income-earning ability, can be incorporated into modern optimal tax theory. If Lindahl's methods are applied to that view of...

This paper explores how the persistently popular "classical" logic of benefit-based taxation, in which an individual's benefit from public goods is tied to his or her income-earning ability, can be incorporated into modern optimal tax theory. If Lindahl's methods are applied to that view of...

Contents: Preface -- Part I: Public debt and individual rationality -- 1. De Viti de Marco vs. Ricardo on public debt: self-extinction or default? / Giuseppe Eusepi and Richard E. Wagner -- 2. Governing the market for sovereign bailouts / Karsten Mause -- 3. Political obligations: is debt...

Die kommunale Straßensanierung wird in der Regel von den Anliegern finanziert. Widersprüche dagegen haben Verwaltungsgerichte mit der Begründung, die Hauseigentümer hätten durch die Sanierung besondere Vorteile, abgewiesen. Aus finanzwissenschaftlicher Sicht muss die Erhebung von Beiträgen...

We introduce two natural types of asymmetric single-peaked preferences, which we name biased- above and biased-below, depending on whether the asymmetry (or preference-bias) favors alternatives above or below the peak. We define a rich family of utility functions, the generalized distance-metric...

This work reviews benefit-based principles to measuring responsibility for carbon emissions at the sectoral level using environmental input–output analysis. Several new emissions multipliers are proposed to measure sectoral carbon efficiency. These principles are used in an empirical analysis...

Wie schon oft in der Vergangenheit, so geht es auch in der aktuellen sozial-, finanz- und wirtschaftspolitischen Diskussion in Deutschland darum, welche Aufgaben und Ausgaben, die durch die Sozialversicherung abgewickelt bzw. ihr zugewiesen werden, aus Beiträgen finanziert werden sollen, die...

Nationale Steuern werden durch zunehmende grenzüberschreitende Transaktionen vor neue Herausforderungen gestellt, wovon insbesondere die internationale Unternehmensbesteuerung betroffen ist. Neue Rahmenbedingungen beeinflussen die zwischenstaatliche Allokation der Besteuerungsrechte. Die...

Die Effizienz eines Alterssicherungssystems ist in der Wirtschaftspolitik sowohl aus mikroökonomischer als auch aus gesamtwirtschaftlicher Sicht von hoher Bedeutung. Die demographische Entwicklung führt in einem Umlageverfahren zu Fehlanreizen. Darüber hinaus wird dieser Effekt durch...

What is the power of traditional and competitive theories of fiscal federalism in explaining tax assignment at a local level? This article deals with this issue, arguing that both theories fail to properly explain the practice of tax assignment across countries. The author shows that the...

This paper considers the arguments for fundamental pension reform in Germany and the United States. The two countries have recently made or are considering reforms that would reduce the generosity of the traditional, pay-as-you-go pension system. Some or all of the lost benefits would be...

The aim of this paper is to check whether intergovernmental transfers for water projects accepted in 1986 can be rationalized by a simple efficiency criterion. The empirical findings support this conjecture only partially.

As one possible solution to the well-known financing crisis of unfunded social security systems, an increase in the retirement age is a popular option. To induce workers to retire later, it has been proposed to strengthen the link between retirement age and benefit level. The present paper is...

As one possible solution to the well-known financing crisis of unfunded social security systems, an increase in the retirement age is a popular option. To induce workers to retire later, it has been proposed to strengthen the link between retirement age and benefit level. The present paper is...

Most systems of health care financing in EU member states currently include elements of income redistribution. The paper analyzes the effects of shifting this kind of redistribution to the tax system and argues that this reform could create two types of efficiency gains. On the expenditure side,...

Most systems of health care financing in EU member states currently include elements of income redistribution. The paper analyzes the effects of shifting income redistribution entirely to the tax system, while confining public health systems to their insurance role. We argue that this reform...