Quantitative Economics

Journal of the Econometric Society

Edited by: Bernard Salanié • Print ISSN: 1759-7323 • Online ISSN: 1759-7331

Quantitative Economics: Jan, 2026, Volume 17, Issue 1

Technical Change, Wage Inequality, and Optimal Taxes in an Assignment Model

https://doi.org/10.3982/QE2361
p. 200-253

Been‐Lon Chen|Fei‐Chi Liang

This paper studies income inequality and optimal taxation policies in a talent‐to‐task assignment model of self‐selection. Our model considers relative capital‐skill complementarities across tasks, leading to the polarization of capital and technology by task complexity, which in turn drives the polarization of job and wage growth by talent levels. Regarding optimal tax policy, the wage compression channel remains effective through the trickle‐down effect of subsidizing high‐wage earners and taxing low‐wage earners. Yet, the wage compression channel via capital, corporate, and R&D taxes, aimed at reducing wage inequality, does not operate via a trickle‐down effect. Instead, it works by taxing capital income and R&D investments in high‐task‐complexity sectors while subsidizing those in low‐task‐complex sectors. Moreover, we identify a Pigouvian effect that arises to address spillovers, which modifies the marginal tax rates on labor income, capital income, firm profits, and R&D investments.


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Supplemental Material

Supplement to "Technical Change, Wage Inequality, and Optimal Taxes in an Assignment Model"

Been-Lon Chen and Fei-Chi Liang

This supplement contains material not found within the manuscript.

Supplement to "Technical Change, Wage Inequality, and Optimal Taxes in an Assignment Model"

Been-Lon Chen and Fei-Chi Liang

The replication package for this paper is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17557384. The authors were granted an exemption to publish parts of their data because either access to these data is restricted or the authors do not have the right to republish them. Therefore, the replication package only includes the codes and the parts of the data that are not subject to the exemption. However, the authors provided the Journal with (or assisted the Journal to obtain) temporary access to the restricted data. The Journal checked the provided and restricted data and the codes for their ability to reproduce the results in the paper and approved online appendices.