We review the theoretical justification of consumption taxes in advanced economies, providing a systematic overview of the vast public finance literature exploring how goods and services should be taxed. Our discussion focuses on both the determinants of the optimal level of consumption taxation...

We review the theoretical justification of consumption taxes in advanced economies, providing a systematic overview of the vast public finance literature exploring how goods and services should be taxed. Our discussion focuses on both the determinants of the optimal level of consumption taxation...

This paper studies household spending responses to anticipated changes in the consumption tax. To do so, I construct a life-cycle heterogeneous-agent general equilibrium model with durables. The model features a wedge in durable transactions that reflects the actual consumption tax system:...

In a static setting, whether consumption or labor income is progressively taxed isirrelevant for household choices and welfare. In a dynamic setting, however, thesetwo forms of progressivity have markedly di erent implications for how earnings varyalong the life-cycle: in a stylized life-cycle...

This paper studies household spending responses to anticipated changes in the consumption tax. To do so, I construct a life-cycle heterogeneous-agent general equilibrium model with durables. The model features a wedge in durable transactions that reflects the actual consumption tax system:...

A widespread objection to the introduction of consumption tax systems claims that this would lead to high tax revenue losses. This paper investigates the revenue effects of a consumption tax reform in Germany. Our results suggest that the revenue losses would be surprisingly low. We find a...

This paper re-examines the issues involved in the design of a direct tax on consumption, an idea that has received a fair degree of acceptance in the transition countries over the past decade (e.g., tax reforms in Croatia and Moldova). First we argue that on the subject of equivalence among a...

This paper examines the welfare consequences of changing the current U.S. income tax system to a progressive consumption tax. We compute a sequence of single period equilibria in which savings decisions depend on the expected future return to capital. In the presence of existing income taxes,...

Property transaction taxes - also known as stamp duty - are widely viewed as an inefficient form of taxation. In this paper, we examine the welfare implications of removing stamp duty in a general equilibrium overlapping generation model with heterogeneous agents. Our model features an...

A supplemental expenditure tax (SET) could be imposed at progressive rates in addition to the income tax, and income tax rates lowered correspondingly. The SET is a progressive cash flow consumption tax originally proposed by Nicholas Kaldor in 1955. Its enactment would facilitate income tax...

'No Poverty' and 'Reduced Inequalities' are two out of the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Nowadays, Kenya faces high levels of poverty and inequality: 36 percent of the population live below the poverty line and the Gini coefficient was 0.445 in 2015. Against this...

Modern technology is dramatically changing the way consumption taxes are collected, but it is also changing the way policymakers assess the operation and impact of these taxes. Whether the design is a standard credit-invoice value added tax (VAT) of European design, or a retail sales tax (RST)...

Comprehensive wealth taxes offer the possibility of reducing inequality while raising revenue. However, implementing comprehensive wealth taxes can be difficult, especially in emerging economies where administrative and political limitations are often substantial. This Article offers an...

America's history of selective consumption taxes dates back to the colonial era, when revolutionaries protested against taxes on tea and paper goods. While the Revolution was prompted in part by opposition to selective consumption taxes, this chapter describes how Alexander Hamilton implemented...

We argue that in order for consumption tax reduction to be effective in increasing consumer wealth rather than benefitting suppliers, the tax field is insufficient by itself. We claim that due to cognitive biases, or heuristics, when the government changes consumption tax rates, officially to...

We model the effects of cash flow taxes on company profit which differ according to the base and location of the tax. Our model incorporates a multinational producing and selling in two countries with three sources of rent, each in a different location: a fixed basic production factor (located...

The present U.S. system of international taxation is riddled with problems because it does not satisfy critical principles of economics, justice, or common sense. It fails to accomplish the most important goals that an international system should achieve-that is, protecting the domestic tax base...

This paper decomposes consumption tax revenues in OECD countries into the implicit tax rate (ITR) and consumption relative to GDP, to identify how economic downturns affect consumption tax revenues. It further considers the impact of changes in VAT efficiency and VAT rates on ITRs. The analysis...

Consumption taxes are an integral part of government revenue in countries around the world and are often subject to consumer evasion. The rapid rise of electronic commerce has exacerbated this problem as cross-border selling over the internet has enabled foreign businesses to sell and avoid...

This article examines scholarly articles by Mr Robert Mcleod and Dr Geoffrey Hartly that appear earlier in this volume. The author finds that individually, the articles are very welcome contributions to tax law scholarship but together, the articles afford valuable insights into several...

Flat consumption taxes have no effect on long run aggregate capital formation when markets are complete. In this note, we provide conditions on utility under which a similar statement is true under incomplete markets. When these conditions are satisfied, using a flat consumption tax to finance...

We model the effects of consumption-type taxes which differ according to the base and location of the tax. Our model incorporates a multinational producing and selling in two countries with three sources of rent, each in a different location: a fixed basic production factor (located with initial...

We model the effects of consumption-type taxes which differ according to the base and location of the tax. Our model incorporates a multinational producing and selling in two countries with three sources of rent, each in a different location: a fixed basic production factor (located with initial...