Tax theory and policy

Teachers

Included in study programs

Teaching results

Education Outcomes:
• Deepen the theoretical knowledge of taxation and tax policy and public finances;
• To clarify the basic knowledge of tax theory necessary to understand the deeper context of current tax practice;
• By developing abstract thinking using modern technology, to point out the link between specific tax issues and their perception in the broader economic context;
• To pay attention to the macroeconomic and microeconomic impact of taxes in relation to the role of tax policy in the context of the European and world economy
Knowledge and Understanding:
• To specify the main differences between the tax theory and its application in practice;
• To understand and be able to identity the main principles of the tax mechanism, which is the base for the real "construction" of the tax system and its application in practice;
• To be able to evaluate the development of tax policy in the country, and on the basis of the acquired knowledge within the theoretical research be able to predict the development on the basis of acquired knowledge. To address tax policy issues such as the optimal introduction of excise taxes, optimal income taxation, and so on.;
• Be able to understand the behavioral effects of taxes, including the impact on the consumer, labor supply, savings and investment, entrepreneurship;
• Formulate and critically evaluate the positive benefits as well as the negative aspects affecting not only the economic but also the social and political sphere , especially using the methods of financial econometrics and experimental economics.
Practical Skills and Competence:
• To competently evaluate and interpret, on the basis of modern management procedures, the positive / negative features of tax systems in close co-ordination with the development of basic macroeconomic indicators;
• Be able to work independently (also as a manager) or in teams in the field of tax administration.
• To keep in touch with the latest developments in their field, in particular with the rapid development and use of ICT, as well as with the penetration of digitization and the use of new technologies, especially in the field of taxation.

Indicative content

1. History of Tax Theories
2. Tax Effectiveness (Specifics of tax incidence in dependence with the relevance and type of market
(competitive market under general equilibrium, monopol market, oligopol, labour market)
3. Analysis of tax shift by models of general economic equilibrium (Harberger's model, equivalent
taxes)
4. Tax efficiency from the point of view of the influence of taxes on the behavior of tax subjects
(Influence of taxes on employment and working effort, influence of the level of labour income
on the labour supply – substitution effect and income effect. Influence of taxes on savings.
Influence of taxes on households´savings
5. Theory of tax equity (Basic characteristics, vertical and horizontal equity and problems and
opinions related with the choice of tax base and tax progressivity, theories of victim and their
quantitative aspects
6. Theory of tax equity (measurement of the tax burden, factors influencing the tax burden from
the point of view of social and solidarity)
7. Optimal taxation (Optimal Taxation of Consumption and Income)
8. Optimal taxation (Normative and positive approach to optimal taxation)
9. Tax Evasions from the perspective of Optimal Tax Theory
10. Tax Neutrality (Evaluation of tax neutrality concepts according to selected principles)
11. Current Issues of "active" tax policy from national and international aspects
12. Tax reforms and their macroeconomic and microeconomic impact
13. Income taxation models (comprehensive tax, dual tax, flat tax)

Support literature

Musgrave, Richard a Musgrave Peggy B.: The Theory of Public Finance, Management Press, Praha 1994 – selection;
Allan, Ch., M.: The Theory of Taxation. Harmondsworth : Penguin, 1971.
Levitt Steven, Dubner Stephen: Freakonomics, Premedia Group, s.r.o., Bratislava 2011- selection;
Gruber,J.: Public Finance and Public Policy, Third Edition, 2010
Rosen, H.S., Gayer,T.: Public Finance, 8.Ed. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2008;
Kaplow,L.: The Theory of Taxation and Public Economics, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2008;
Allingham, M.G.-Sandmo,A.: Income tax evasion:A theoretical analysis, In:Journal of Public Economics, 1972, vol.1, str.323-338;
Articles from domestic and foreign professional and scientific journals dealing with relevant issues.

Requirements to complete the course

1. Individual work on seminars 5 %
2. Individual project 25 %
3. Final written exam 70 %

Student workload

participation in lectures 26 hours
participation at practice 26 hours
preparation for lectures 10 hours
preparation for practices 30 hours
preparation for a project 15 hours
preparation for examination 49 hours

Language whose command is required to complete the course

slovak

Date of approval: 06.02.2023

Date of the latest change: 16.08.2022