Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/123496 
Year of Publication: 
2015
Series/Report no.: 
EPRU Working Paper Series No. 2015-02
Publisher: 
University of Copenhagen, Economic Policy Research Unit (EPRU), Copenhagen
Abstract: 
If productivity increases more slowly for services than for manufactured goods then services suffer from Baumol's cost disease and tend to become relatively more costly over time. Since the welfare state in all countries is an important supplier of tax financed services, this translates into a financial pressure which seems to leave policymakers with a trilemma; increase taxes (and hence tax distortions), cut spending or redistribute less. Under the assumptions underlying Baumol's cost disease, we show that these dismal implications are not warranted. The welfare state is sustainable and Baumol growth leaves scope for Pareto improvements.
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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