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Learning to Tax ?- Interjurisdictional Tax Competition under Incomplete Information

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  • Johannes Becker
  • Ronald B. Davies

Abstract

We present a multi-period model in which countries set source-based taxes without having precise information how their and their neighbours' tax rates affect the tax base. Countries can learn from past experience and from observing their neighbours' outcomes and/or tax policy choices. We consider the sequence of Markov perfect equilibria and show that the beliefs become more precise over time and, eventually, correct. The precision of beliefs in a given period increases in the number of observed countries. In equilibrium, tax rates are inefficiently low if the value of learning is positive and the pace of learning increases in the level of tax rates (because higher tax rates trigger larger tax base effects which helps learning); in the presence of fiscal externalities, tax rates are too homogeneous (because variance in tax policies enhances learning). If, due to fiscal externalities, the value of learning is negative, the opposite may be true. From the viewpoint of empirical measurement, the model generates time patterns that look as if countries react to each other even if there are no fiscal externalities. We conclude that the existing evidence may therefore be inconclusive with regard to the existence of tax competition.

Suggested Citation

  • Johannes Becker & Ronald B. Davies, 2015. "Learning to Tax ?- Interjurisdictional Tax Competition under Incomplete Information," Working Papers 201519, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
  • Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:201519
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    File URL: https://hdl.handle.net/10197/7159
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    2. Dertinger, Andrea & Hirth, Lion, 2019. "Reforming the Electric Power Industry in Developing Economies," EconStor Preprints 201842, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    3. Dertinger, Andrea & Hirth, Lion, 2020. "Reforming the electric power industry in developing economies evidence on efficiency and electricity access outcomes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. Florence Lachet-Touya, 2016. "EU tax competition and tax avoidance: A multiprincipal perspective," Working Papers hal-02939340, HAL.
    5. David R. Agrawal & William H. Hoyt & John D. Wilson, 2022. "Local Policy Choice: Theory and Empirics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 60(4), pages 1378-1455, December.
    6. Florence Lachet-Touya, 2016. "Horizontal and Vertical Tax Interactions in a Common Agency Game," Working papers of CATT hal-02939399, HAL.
    7. Florence TOUYA, 2016. "Horizontal and Vertical Tax Interactions in a Common Agency Game," Working Papers 2015-2016_12, CATT - UPPA - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, revised Aug 2016.
    8. Yoon-Jung Choi, 2022. "Property tax interaction among overlapping local jurisdictions: quasi-experimental evidence from school bond referenda," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(3), pages 537-580, June.
    9. Bin Wu & Xuefei Xu & Zhenzhong Feng, 2018. "Investment Promotion, Fiscal Competition and Economic Growth Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, January.
    10. Buettner, Thiess & von Schwerin, Axel, 2016. "Yardstick competition and partial coordination: Exploring the empirical distribution of local business tax rates," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 178-201.
    11. Lin, Yatang & Qin, Yu & Yang, Yang & Zhu, Hongjia, 2020. "Can price regulation increase land-use intensity? Evidence from China's industrial land market," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    12. Florence TOUYA, 2016. "EU tax competition and tax avoidance: A multiprincipal perspective," Working Papers 2015-2016_11, CATT - UPPA - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, revised Aug 2016.
    13. Simon Naitram, 2022. "How big are strategic spillovers from corporate tax competition?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(2), pages 847-869, April.
    14. Florence Lachet-Touya, 2016. "Horizontal and Vertical Tax Interactions in a Common Agency Game," Working Papers hal-02939399, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social learning; Policy diffusion; Tax competition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • H87 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods

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