Agglomeration, Integration and Tax Harmonization

29 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2001

See all articles by Richard E. Baldwin

Richard E. Baldwin

University of Geneva - Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Paul R. Krugman

Princeton University - Princeton School of Public and International Affairs; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 2000

Abstract

This Paper considers tax competition and tax harmonization in the presence of agglomeration forces and falling trade costs. With agglomerative forces operating, industry is not indifferent to location in equilibrium, so perfectly mobile capital becomes a quasi-fixed factor. This suggests that the tax game is something subtler than a race to the bottom. Advanced 'core' nations may act like limit-pricing monopolists toward less advanced 'periphery' countries. Consequently, integration need not lead to falling tax rates, and might well be consistent with the maintenance of large welfare states. 'Limit taxing' also means that simple tax harmonization-adoption of a common tax rate-always harms at least one nation and adoption of a rate between the two unharmonized rates harms both nations. A tax floor set at the lowest equilibrium tax rate leads to a weak Pareto improvement.

Keywords: Economic geography, tax competition, tax harmonization, Trade

JEL Classification: F12, F20, H00, H87

Suggested Citation

Baldwin, Richard E. and Krugman, Paul R., Agglomeration, Integration and Tax Harmonization (November 2000). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=258062

Richard E. Baldwin (Contact Author)

University of Geneva - Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Paul R. Krugman

Princeton University - Princeton School of Public and International Affairs ( email )

Princeton University
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United States
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609-258-2809 (Fax)

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States