The surplus-value rate and the structure of the tax system

Abstract

We explore the relationship between the tax system and the surplus-value rate. Since government policy directly conditions the economic environment, any variations in the tax rates will affect disposable income. This, in turn, translates to consumption adjustments that give rise to changes in the surplus-value rate. For the evaluation of changes from the baseline figure, we argue that the correct data set needs to be more comprehensive than the input-output and national accounts data. The reason is that they do not include, in a coherent and integrated manner, all the tax flows taking place in the economy. A Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), however, does include all the tax flows affecting households (indirect taxes on consumption, direct taxes on income, and personal labour taxes). Therefore, the SAM provides the basis for counter-factual calculations of the surplus-value rate that a standard input-output table, for example, cannot provide. We illustrate the possibilities of the analysis using a recent SAM of Spain.