Design of Tax Systems

Full course description

The course covers the main topics in the economics of taxation. The first aim is to provide a theoretical framework for thinking about tax policy. We consider both efficiency and distributional considerations and discuss how they can be optimally balanced in designing a tax system. This theoretical framework is then applied to (i) the major types of taxes, i.e., the personal income tax, the corporation income tax, taxes on consumption and taxes on wealth, and to (ii) a variety of other issues in taxation, such as tax evasion and deficit finance.