1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910808145903321

Autore

Diamond Peter A

Titolo

Taxation, incomplete markets, and social security : the 2000 Munich lectures / / Peter A. Diamond

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cambridge, Mass., : MIT Press, ©2003

ISBN

0-262-27168-0

1-4237-2959-5

Descrizione fisica

xviii, 160 p

Collana

Munich lectures in economics

Disciplina

330.12/6

Soggetti

Welfare economics

Welfare state

Taxation

Capitalism

Social security - Finance

Taxation - Germany

Capitalism - Germany

Social security - Germany - Finance

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

"CES."

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [149]-156) and indexes.

Sommario/riassunto

In this book, Peter Diamond analyzes social security as a particular example of optimal taxation theory. Assuming a world of incomplete markets and asymmetric information, he uses a variety of simple models to illuminate the economic forces that bear on specific social security policy issues. The focus is on the degree of progressivity desirable in social security and the design of incentives to delay retirement beyond the earliest age of eligibility for benefits. Before analyzing these models, Diamond presents introductions to optimal income tax theory and the theory of incomplete markets. He incorporates recent theoretical developments such as time-inconsistent preferences into his analyses and shows that distorting taxes and a measure of progressivity in benefits are desirable. Diamond also discusses social security reform, with a focus on Germany.