Income redistribution effects of tax reforms in Sweden

In 1989 a major tax reform was proposed in Sweden. Substantially lower tax rates, a broader tax base, and bigger allowances to families with children are its main components. With the help of a microsimulation model the impact of the reform on income distribution is studied here. The usefulness and the limitations of this type of policy model are also discussed. Somewhat surprisingly, our simulation results show no noticeably adverse effect on income distribution as described by the Lorenz curve: the inequality-increasing effect of the changes in tax rates is offset by the changes in the other components of the reform.     

税式支出对促进高新技术产业发展的实证分析

近年来,南京市高新技术产业发展呈现出总量扩张、税负下降、竞争力不强的状况。选取南京市高新技术产业七大行业的产值占地区工业总产值比重指标、流转税税负、所得税税负,建立面板数据模型分析,发现税式支出激励效应存在结构性差异,流转税的激励效应大于所得税的激励效应。激励政策对航天航空制造业、医药制造业、专用科学仪器设备制造业的效果不显著;对于另外四个行业,激励效应也存在结构差异。因此,应采取差异化的税式支出激励政策,改变当前以所得税为主要激励税种的现状,转变成以流转税和所得税为双主体的激励方式。     

逃税行为的经济学分析

逃税是一种普遍的社会现象,尤其在发展中国家更为严重.纳税人在进行逃税活动时,总是权衡了风险和收益的情况下,选择最优的收入申报量,而使它的预期收入最大化.当逃税被稽查的概率与被查处所受惩罚的力度之积大于和等于1时,纳税人会倾向完全纳税,相反会倾向逃税.同时,逃税人的预期收入还受到收入、税率、稽查概率和惩罚力度等参数的影响.要遏制逃税行为,应采取适当提高稽查概率,加大惩罚力度和提高收入的显性化等措施,才能使它的危害程度降到最小.     

Family Allowances in Australia for Children Under 16 Years of Age

Family allowances for children take two forms: uniform child endowment scheme cash benefits and uniform income tax concessional deductions. The benefit per child by child endowment is the same for all income groups, but that received by tax remission increases with income because taxation is progressive. Child endowment benefits have long remained fairly static, while tax remission benefits have increased substantially as incomes have risen. Hence the scheme best suited to meet the criterion of need— child endowment—having declined from 62 per cent of family allowances in 1959 to 55 per cent in 1966, has become a much smaller component of the dual scheme of family allowances. An outline is given of two schemes which, while costing the government no more than the present dual scheme, would achieve a significant redistribution of benefits better designed to meet the criterion of need.     

基于来源视角的城乡居民收入差距与财税制度选择

2001年以来,随着工业反哺农业政策的实施,农民的工资性收入、经营性收入、转移性收入和财产性收入均有所增加,城乡基尼系数逐渐下降。但是,以流转税为主的税制结构和现行财税制度仍制约着城乡居民收入差距的进一步缩小。因而,为增强财税制度调节城乡居民收入的作用,应构建以所得税为主的税制模式,完善增值税和个人所得税,健全房产出租的税制体系,开征资本利得税并增加财政"三农"支出。     

Behavioral responses and the distributional effects of the Russian ‘flat’ tax

This paper simulates the distributional impact of the Russian personal income tax (PIT) following the flat tax reform of 2001 using data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey. I decompose the change in the distribution of net income into a direct (tax) effect and an indirect effect. The indirect effect is further decomposed into evasion and productivity effects using existing estimates of these respective elasticities. As expected, the direct tax effect increased net income inequality. Changes in the pre-tax distribution (indirect effect), on the other hand, had a large negative impact on inequality thus leading to an overall decline in net income inequality. I also find that the tax-induced evasion response increased reported net income inequality while reducing consumption inequality. To the extent that consumption approximates actual income, these results demonstrate that the flat tax reform had a much smaller effect on actual income inequality than on reported income inequality. More importantly, relative to non-tax factor, the reform had little overall effect on income inequality. This suggests that objection to flatter tax schedules on the grounds of income inequality is mostly misguided, especially in transitional countries with high levels of evasion.     

SPECIAL ISSUE： DISTRIBUTION OF NATIONAL INCOME IN A TRANSITIONAL ECONOMY Who is the predator,who the prey？ --an analysis of changes in the state of China＇s national income distribution

本文以2004年经济普查后修订的资金流量表为基础，依次从国民收入的初次分配和再分配两个阶段，分析了1992—2005年期间我国国民收入在企业、政府和居民三部门之间分配格局的变化，重点讨论了自1996年以来居民收入占比下降的原因。在分析初次分配格局时，本文将每个部门的初次分配收入占比表示为各要素分配份额按各要素收入中该部门所占比重加权得到的加权平均值。利用这一表示方式，我们校正了资金流量表中的要素分配份额，重新计算了1993—2005年间的国民收入分配格局，并推算了2006和2007年的国民收入分配格局。测算结果表明，居民部门在全国可支配收入中的占比在1996年达到最高，此后逐年降低，截止N2005年，总共下降了12．72个百分点。在初次分配和再分配阶段，居民部门分别下降了10．71和2．01个百分点。与之相对应，企业和政府部门在初次分配中的占比分别上升了7．49和3．21个百分点；在再分配阶段，居民和企业部门收入占比都下降，由此导致政府部门进一步上升3．17个百分点。我们还发现，国民收入的要素分配中劳动收入占比下降和财产收入占比下降，是居民部门在国民收入初次分配中占比下降的两个主要原因。在2005—2007年间，主要受生产水净额占比上升的影响，居民部门在国民收入中占比进一步下降了3个百分点以上．     

对政府分配功能和税收分配功能的重新界定

重新界定政府分配功能应明确两点:一是政府分配功能存在于国民收入分配的全过程;二是现实中政府分配功能具有二重性,即积极作用和负面影响。重新界定税收分配功能应明确两点:一是税收分配功能存在于国民收入分配的全过程;二是税收分配功能有多种作用形式。     

Making work pay, making tax credits work: An assessment with specific reference to lone-parent employment

Abstract   This article examines the origins, aims, and design of tax credits in the United Kingdom, and discusses the extent to which tax credits represent a new approach in social security policy. It then focuses on the role that these transfers play in supporting lone mothers in employment, drawing on the experiences of lone-parent families to explore how tax credits worked for them. The discussion highlights the tensions between family and employment change and tax credits rules about reporting changes in circumstances and income.     

More than Just DNA – Tax,Welfare and the Family. An examination of the concept of family in the Tax Transfer system,with particular reference to family benefits

One of the core issues taken into account in tax transfer systems is the family circumstances of a particular recipient. Family tax transfer payments may be delivered through either the tax or the welfare system. However, the fundamental requirement is that there is a family, maintaining children. The concept of what is a family is a social rather than a legal construct. While marriage and spouse have legal definitions, family structures evolve and change over time. In this paper I explore the concept of family as it is used in the Australian income tax and welfare legislation. I consider the impact of the legislative construct of family on the entitlements to tax credits, and whether the definition of family is appropriate to ensure that the benefits improve the equity of the taxation system, and properly reflect the structure of the contemporary family unit.     

Inequality of opportunity in the United Kingdom, 1991–2008

We investigate the extent to which the tax-and-transfer system of the United Kingdom equalizes opportunities for income attainment among citizens. Within the framework of Roemer’s theory of equality of opportunity, and using individual data from the British Household Panel Survey from 1991 to 2008, we calculate the tax rates necessary to equalize opportunities for different circumstances. We provide a ranking of these circumstances by the degree to which they influence income attainment. Although pre-fisc equality of opportunity increases over time, the tax rate necessary to equalize opportunities remains higher than the observed tax rate. Only under a relatively high labour supply elasticity the observed UK tax rate fares well in equalizing opportunities for income attainment.     

OECD国家家庭福利政策实践与启示

家庭福利政策作为OECD国家政策体系的有机组成部分,在稳定家庭功能、提高家庭福祉等方面发挥了重要作用。税收优惠是国外家庭福利供给的主要手段,美国近一半的家庭福利、日本近40%的家庭福利来自税收优惠。在经济体制深刻变革、社会结构深刻变动、利益格局深刻调整、思想观念深刻变化的形势下,我国传统家庭功能正在经受严重冲击,家庭互助、家庭照料、社会融合等婚姻家庭新问题不断凸显。文中系统梳理近20个OECD国家的家庭税收优惠措施,提出在我国工薪所得税中率先探索家庭税收优惠政策,提高家庭发展能力。     

The impact of tax rates, political partisanship and economic variables on the distribution of state and local tax burdens

This study finds that the effective state and local tax rate for the top 1% of income households as a percentage of the effective state and local tax rate for the bottom 20% of income households in 2002 is significantly influenced by whether a state has a multi-rate income tax, right-to-work laws, the liberalism of a state's electorate, the average tax burden in a state and past tax policy. Democratic Party strength in state government, Republican or Democratic Party institutional control of state government, change in real per capita income, a Democratic Governor and the change in the share of income going to the top 1% of income households are not significant predictors. The empirical results are identical for the top 2-5% of income households to the bottom 20% of income households.     

完善依法治税新探

依法治税作为依法治国的组成部分,是社会主义民主政治的产物,其实质是实现税收的制度化和法律化。因此,依法治税的核心思想是税收法治,这是我们理解和认识依法治税的理论基础。目前我国税收分配的现实状况,离依法治税的要求还有一定差距,在税收法律制度、税收执法、法治观念、税收司法保障体系、地方税务以及税务干部队伍建设等方面尚存在一些问题。为完善我国依法治税,应当科学的实施税收征管、建立司法保障体系、强化税务代理、加强税收法律监督、尊重纳税人的权利。以推进和完善我国税收法制的进程。     

Distributional and employment effects of labour tax changes in Finland

Labour income taxes in Finland decreased considerably during the period 1996–2008. At the same time the Finnish economy grew rapidly. Nevertheless, there was another coincidental trend in this period: a rapid rise in inequality. This study aims to answer to what extent labour income tax reductions between 1996 and 2008 contributed to this trend in inequality. The study also examines how much more employment was achieved owing to the labour tax reforms. To answer these questions, I build a dynamic general equilibrium model with heterogeneous agents. The model is calibrated to fit the Finnish economy. The study finds that the labour income tax cuts fractionally raised the Gini coefficient for net labour income. They also increased the concentration of wealth. The employment gains due to the reforms have been modest, but nevertheless significant.     

Inequality of opportunity in the United Kingdom, 1991–2008

We investigate the extent to which the tax-and-transfer system of the United Kingdom equalizes opportunities for income attainment among citizens. Within the framework of Roemer’s theory of Equality of Opportunity, and using individual data from the British Household Panel Survey from 1991 to 2008, we calculate the tax rates necessary to equalize opportunities for different circumstances. We provide a ranking of these circumstances by the degree to which they influence income attainment. Although pre-fisc equality of opportunity increases over time, the tax rate necessary to equalize opportunities remains higher than the observed tax rate. Only under a relatively high labour supply elasticity the observed UK tax rate fares well in equalizing opportunities for income attainment.     

论金元时期全真教的物质消费特征

金元时期,全真教盛行于北方。它在金初形成后,教徒主要以乞食为生,固定财产非常少。蒙古进入中原后,全真教徒利用蒙古贵族给予的占地、免税等经济特权,开始依托宫观大规模地垦田耕作,全真教亦随而有了固定的经济收入。但不论乞食还是耕作,全真教都有一套相对固定的物质消费特征,具体而言,就是崇尚俭朴,自食其力,聚财为公。从根本上说,全真教在物质消费上所具有的种种特征,是全真教立教宗旨的集中反映。这些对保持全真教的纯洁和扩大教团的规模,都起了很重要的作用。     

The impact of political parties on the distribution of state and local tax burdens

Using a disaggregated measure that allows us to examine the distribution of state and local tax burdens between high and low income groups better, this research finds that in many models, Democratic control is positively associated with a lower relative tax burden on the poor. The results are stronger for average Democratic strength in the state government than for unified Democratic strength. The results are strongest when comparing income groups just below the richest 1% (the next richest 2–5% and the next richest 6–20%) with the poorest 20%.     

Universal basic income with flat tax reform in France

This article evaluates the effects of a revenue-neutral tax reform introducing a universal basic income scheme coupled with a flat income tax which replaces the existing minimum income benefit, several other conditional benefits and the existing progressive income taxation. To this aim we use a Micro–Macro simulation model for the French economy. Interestingly, our results show that the reform induces not only a significant reduction in income inequalities and poverty, but also a slightly positive effect at the macroeconomic level, implying that the equity-efficiency trade-off would not be produced.     

Commodity prices and the world distribution of income

Some advocates of a new international economic order recommend raising prices of commodities exported by developing countries as a means of reducing the inequality of world income distribution. A simulation model using commodity trade data and income distribution data for 68 industrial and developing countries examines this policy alternative. Initial data compilation reveals that internal inequality is as important as international: The world income share of the poorest 40% of people would be twice as high in the absence of intracountry inequality. Calculations using actual price experience in the “great inflation” of 1972–1975 show that despite the large relative price changes for some commodities (especially oil), these changes left the world size distribution of income virtually unchanged. Separate policy simulations show that even a quadrupling of the price of ali “equalizing” commodities (those mainly exported by LDCs) would leave the size distribution of world income practically unaltered (even under optimistic assumptions about intracountry distributional incidence), although some individual LDCs would gain. Increasing commodity prices therefore appears to be an ineffective means of increasing international equity, quite apart from questions about the feasibility of cartels or commodity agreements.