Essays in public economics

Weishaar, Daniel (2025): Essays in public economics: multidimensional inequalities, fairness preferences, and policy instruments. Dissertation, LMU München: Faculty of Economics

Abstract

This dissertation consists of six independent essays in public economics. Chapter 1 examines the impact of foreign corporate ownership on the U.K. housing market, showing how offshore investments influence house prices and vacancy rates. Chapters 2 and 3 develop and apply theoretical frameworks to evaluate the taxation of couples, focusing on efficiency, welfare, and political economy considerations. Chapter 4 extends this analysis by incorporating stated preferences from survey data, offering insights beyond standard analyses based on material self-interest. Chapter 5 investigates the validity of hypothetical survey methods for measuring fairness preferences, comparing them to results from an incentivized experiment. Chapter 6 analyzes work-life balance policies in Germany, using quasi-experimental variation to estimate behavioral responses and welfare effects. Together, the essays offer new perspectives on multidimensional inequalities, fairness preferences, and policy instruments.

• Item Type: Theses (Dissertation, LMU Munich)
• Keywords: Public Economics, Taxation of Couples, Fairness Preferences, Work-Life Balance, Housing Markets
• Subjects: 300 Social sciences; 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics
• Faculties: Faculty of Economics
• Language: English
• Date of oral examination: 1. July 2025
• 1. Referee: Peichl, Andreas
• Signature of the printed copy: 0001/UMC 31355