Conspicuous Leisure: Optimal Income Taxation When Both Relative Consumption and Relative Leisure Matter*
研究了当人们既在意相对消费又在意相对休闲时，最优非线性所得税的设计，发现消费攀比提高边际税率，而休闲攀比有抵消作用但不对称，会带来累进税成分。
Abstract In previous studies on public policy under relative‐consumption concerns, leisure comparisons have been ignored. In this paper, we consider a two‐type optimal non‐linear income tax model, in which people care about both their relative consumption and their relative leisure. Increased consumption positionality typically implies higher marginal income tax rates for both ability types, whereas leisure positionality has an offsetting role. However, this offsetting role is not symmetric; concern about relative leisure implies a progressive income tax component (i.e., a component that is larger for the high‐ability type than for the low‐ability type). Leisure positionality does not modify the policy rule for public‐good provision.