In this paper we argue that very high marginal labor income tax rates are an effective tool for social insurance even when households have preferences with high labor supply elasticity, make dynamic savings decisions, and policies have general equilibrium effects. To make this point we construct...

In the economic policy debate, income tax progressivity is mostly seen as a means of redistribution. The more progressive the tax, the more redistribution from the rich to the poor. However, high tax progressivity also means high marginal tax rates for those with a high income, which leads to...

Changing the income tax progressivity in labour markets with collective wage bargaining generates a trade-off. On the one hand, higher progressivity distorts individual labour supply decisions at the hours-of-work margin, on the other hand, it reduces unemployment by exerting downward pressure...