Western countries' income tax systems exempt the return from investing in owner-occupied housing. Returns from other investments are instead taxed, thus distorting households’ portfolio choices, although it is argued that housing property taxation might act as a counterbalance. Based on data...

Die akute Wohnraumverknappung Ende der achtziger Jahre veranlaßte den Gesetzgeber zu einer Reihe von Maßnahmen im Rahmen der Einkommensteuer. Im Vordergrund stand das Ziel der raschen Vergrößerung des Wohnraumangebotes. Die Förderung erfolgt mit Milliardenaufwand. In dieser Arbeit wird...

We consider optimal taxation in a model with wealth-poor and wealth-rich households, where wealth derives from business capital and home ownership, and investigate the consequences of a rising wealth inequality at steady state on these tax rates. The optimal tax structure includes some taxation...

This research examines the economic origins of Islam and uncovers two empirical regularities. First, Muslim countries, virtual countries and ethnic groups, exhibit highly unequal regional agricultural endowments. Second, Muslim adherence is systematically larger along the pre-Islamic trade...