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Macroeconomics: Implementing Policy

The Laffer curve, average and marginal tax rates and limits of fiscal policy

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 02

Overview

Recall questions on the Laffer curve, calculating average and marginal tax rates, income tax cuts on aggregate demand and supply diagrams, and the limitations of fiscal policy.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Why does the Laffer curve show zero revenue at a tax rate of both 0% and 100%?

Numbers

When a worker's income rises from £50,000 to £54,000, the tax paid rises from £11,400 to £13,000. Calculate the marginal rate of tax.

Key term

What is measured on each axis of the Laffer curve, and what shape does the curve take?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is measured on each axis of the Laffer curve, and what shape does the curve take?

    Model answer

    The tax rate is on the horizontal axis and total tax revenue on the vertical axis, and the curve is an inverted U that rises from the origin to a revenue-maximising peak and then falls back to zero.

  2. 2

    Why does the Laffer curve show zero revenue at a tax rate of both 0% and 100%?

    Model answer

    At 0% nothing is levied at all, and at 100% there is no reward left for the taxed activity, so the activity ceases and there is nothing to tax.

  3. 3

    If a government is on the downward-sloping section of the Laffer curve, what happens to revenue when it cuts the tax rate?

    Model answer

    Revenue rises, because the increase in declared and taxable activity more than offsets the lower rate charged on each pound.

  4. 4

    A worker earning £40,000 a year pays £7,000 in income tax. Calculate the average rate of tax.

    Model answer

    The average rate is total tax divided by total income, so 7,000 ÷ 40,000 = 0.175, which is an average rate of 17.5%.

  5. 5

    When a worker's income rises from £50,000 to £54,000, the tax paid rises from £11,400 to £13,000. Calculate the marginal rate of tax.

    Model answer

    Tax rises by £1,600 on an extra £4,000 of income, so the marginal rate is 1,600 ÷ 4,000 = 0.40, which is 40%.

  6. 6

    Using aggregate demand and aggregate supply, explain in words how a cut in income tax raises real output.

    Model answer

    On a diagram with the general price level on the vertical axis and real national output on the horizontal axis, higher disposable income raises consumption so aggregate demand shifts to the right, and the new equilibrium shows both real output and the price level higher.

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AAt 0% nothing is levied at all.
BAt 100% there is no reward left for the taxed activity.
CThe activity ceases and there is nothing to tax.

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