Public Finance

  1. Principles of Taxation
    1. Desirable Characteristics of a Tax System
      1. Economic Efficiency
        1. Minimizing Distortions
          1. Neutrality
            1. Optimal Tax Theory
            2. Administrative Simplicity
              1. Ease of Compliance
                1. Cost of Administration
                  1. Tax Gap and Compliance
                  2. Flexibility
                    1. Responsiveness to Economic Changes
                      1. Automatic Stabilizers
                      2. Political Responsibility and Transparency
                        1. Accountability
                          1. Public Understanding
                            1. Tax Visibility
                            2. Fairness and Equity
                              1. Horizontal Equity
                                1. Vertical Equity
                                  1. Benefit vs. Ability-to-Pay Principles
                                2. Tax Equity and Fairness
                                  1. The Benefits Principle
                                    1. User Fees
                                      1. Linkage to Public Services
                                        1. Applications and Limitations
                                        2. The Ability-to-Pay Principle
                                          1. Defining Ability to Pay
                                            1. Income vs. Consumption vs. Wealth
                                              1. Horizontal Equity
                                                1. Vertical Equity
                                                  1. Progressive Taxation
                                                    1. Proportional Taxation
                                                      1. Regressive Taxation
                                                  2. Tax Incidence Analysis
                                                    1. Statutory vs. Economic Incidence
                                                      1. Partial Equilibrium Tax Incidence
                                                        1. Tax Incidence in Competitive Markets
                                                          1. Role of Elasticities of Supply and Demand
                                                            1. Tax Shifting Mechanisms
                                                            2. Tax Incidence in Imperfectly Competitive Markets
                                                              1. Monopoly Incidence
                                                                1. Oligopoly Incidence
                                                                2. General Equilibrium Tax Incidence
                                                                  1. Interactions Across Markets
                                                                    1. Harberger Model
                                                                    2. Empirical Studies of Tax Incidence
                                                                    3. Taxation and Economic Efficiency
                                                                      1. The Concept of Deadweight Loss
                                                                        1. Graphical Representation
                                                                          1. Measurement Techniques
                                                                            1. Welfare Cost of Taxation
                                                                            2. Determinants of Deadweight Loss
                                                                              1. Elasticities of Supply and Demand
                                                                                1. Tax Rate and Tax Base
                                                                                  1. Complementarity and Substitutability
                                                                                  2. Optimal Tax Theory
                                                                                    1. The Ramsey Rule for Optimal Commodity Taxation
                                                                                      1. Optimal Income Taxation
                                                                                        1. Mirrlees Model
                                                                                        2. Efficiency-Equity Trade-offs
                                                                                          1. Social Welfare Functions
                                                                                            1. Policy Implications

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                                                                                        3. Public Expenditure Analysis

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                                                                                        5. The Structure of the Tax System