The Corporate Income Tax,Entrepreneurship,and the Noncorporate Sector

Abstract

Harberger's analysis of the corporate income tax depends on his assumption that the corporate and noncorporate sectors produce different goods. This article modifies that assumption while arguing that the distinguishing feature of corporations lies in their ability to raise capital in a large and well organized market. Once this modification is made, the imposition of the corporate income tax has effects markedly different from those described by Harberger. In particular, it induces firms to postpone the decision to incorporate and reduces the cost of capital schedule faced by some unincorporated businesses. The corporate income tax is, in effect, a tax on size. As such, the effect of the tax on the mix of goods produced in the economy is very uncextain.