Fiscal Equalisation: Some Questions of Design

Geoffrey Brennan and Jonathan Pincus

Rivista di Politica Economica, 2004, vol. 94, issue 4, 79-104

Abstract: The case for fiscal equalisation can arise because of differences between states' average incomes or populations. In this paper, we examine the latter in a simple case, using different formulations of the social welfare function: Benthamite; Rawlsian; and Nash. We distinguish, in the process, two different understandings of efficiency abroad in economics — a Paretian notion, that is irrelevant to the case in hand; and a quasi-utilitarian sense. We conclude that fiscal equalisation is required only in the Rawlsian case. In all other cases, private goods consumption should be equalised — but no fiscal equalisation is required.

JEL-codes: D61 D63 H73 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.rivistapoliticaeconomica.it/2004/lu-ago/brennan_pincus.php
Payment required

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:rpo:ripoec:v:94:y:2004:i:4:p:79-104

Access Statistics for this article

Rivista di Politica Economica is currently edited by Gustavo Piga

More articles in Rivista di Politica Economica from SIPI Spa
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sabrina Marino ().