Optimal Commodity Taxation and Household Consumption Activities

Abstract

This article reexanunes the Ramsey tax problem using Becker's household-production approach. It assumes that market-purchased goods and time are used m fixed but different proportions in generating consumption activities. It derives a generalized version of Atkinson and Stiglitz's findings regarding the relationship between optimal tax rates and the structure of preferences (for consumption activities). It then reexammes their three main results in this regard.