Tax Shifting and the Laws of Cost

Abstract

Introduction, 680. — I. Marshall's treatment examined, 681. — II. Doubts as to its usefulness: (1) the assumption of free competition, 685; independence of the cost of labor and capital, 690; effect of public expenditures, 695; the assumption that an industry obeys one law of cost throughout, 698; “boxing” an industry, 701. — III. The “statistical” method of analyzing tax-price relationships, 703. — The “theoretical-statistical” method more promising, 706.