Volume 2, No. 1, April 2003

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A Note on Redistributive Taxation, Labor Supply, and National Income
Volker Grossmann
Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Abstract
This paper shows that redistributive taxation can raise per capita income provided that labor supply is sufficiently backward-bending at higher wage rates. Moreover, we study general equilibrium effects regarding work incentives for less able individuals. Finally, we show that optimal taxation typically requires per capita income to decrease with higher taxation at the margin.
Key words: backward-bending labor supply; linear income tax; national income
JEL classification: H31; H21

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