Does the Laffer curve exist? A review of the theoretical and applied literature, with special focus on the US and Spain

Jos? Torres Rem?rez and Eduardo G?mez Melero

ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, 2025, vol. 2025/1, issue 1, 7-31

Abstract: The Laffer Curve, which illustrates the relationship between tax rates and fiscal revenue, has been a central theme in economic theory and fiscal policy since its formulation. This article provides a comprehensive review of the literature on the Laffer Curve, with a particular focus on the elasticity of the tax base as a tool for its analysis. The elasticity of the tax base refers to the sensitivity of fiscal revenue to changes in tax rates and is crucial for understanding how variations in taxation impact economic behavior and, consequently, public revenue. The study compares empirical evidence from the United States and Spain to offer a detailed perspective on how these economies respond to changes in tax rates. Through a comparative analysis, it highlights similarities and differences in the response of the tax base and the efficiency of tax collection. This article provides an integrated view of the applicability and limitations of the Laffer Curve in different national contexts, offering practical implications for policymakers and contributing to the debate on optimizing tax revenue.

JEL-codes: H0 H21 H39 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/Scheda_Rivista. ... 577&Tipo=ArticoloPDF (text/html)
Single articles can be downloaded buying download credits, for info: https://www.francoangeli.it/DownloadCredit

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:fan:epepep:v:html10.3280/ep2025-001001

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.francoang ... io.aspx?IDRivista=16

Access Statistics for this article

ECONOMIA PUBBLICA is currently edited by FrancoAngeli

More articles in ECONOMIA PUBBLICA from FrancoAngeli Editore
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Stefania Rosato ().