Labor-Market Integration, Investment in Risky Human Capital, and Fiscal Competition

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2000
Volume: 90
Issue: 1
Pages: 73-95

Score contribution per author:

8.043 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper presents a general-equilibrium model where human capital investment increases specialization and exposes skilled workers to region-specific earnings risk Interjurisdictional mobility of skilled labor mitigates these risks; state-contingent migration of skilled labor also improves efficiency. With perfect capital markets, labor-market integration raises welfare and reduces ex post earnings inequality. If instead human capital investment can only be financed through local taxes, labor-market integration leads to interjurisdictional fiscal competition, shifting the burden of taxation to low-skilled immobile workers. Decentralized public provision of human capital investment creates earnings inequalities and is inefficient.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:90:y:2000:i:1:p:73-95
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29