<p>A classic on public choice and taxation theory is</p>

<p><em>"The Power to Tax: Analytic Foundations of Fiscal Constitution"</em> by Brennan and Buchanan</p>

<p>Really interesting book and relatively easy read. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T14:00:20.027Z
2017-07-24T14:00:20.027Z
thekiciminister
<p>If taxation is your main interest (making this question different from others on this site), perhaps the best book around is the 1980's classic by Atkinson and Stiglitz, <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10493.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lectures in Public Economics</a>. There is an updated version. See the Table of Contents <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/c10493.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>.</p>

<p>If you are simply interest in microeconomic textbooks, see <a href="https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/4771/literature-recommendation-advanced-undergraduate-economics/4800#4800">here</a>, <a href="https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/4875/mathematical-micro-macro-economics-textbook-recommendation/4876#4876">here</a>, and <a href="https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/6195/list-of-math-intense-graduate-level-microeconomics-books">here</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-23T13:06:53.957Z
Thank you very much. Since I'm now doing research in the private sector, graduate level microeconomics seem too technical for laymen. However, most undergraduate textbooks go through basic demand and supply with some very basic applications like taxation and quota. I'm looking for one that's more "applied microeconomics".
LLT
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-23T07:14:14.550Z
2017-07-23T07:14:14.550Z
luchonacho
<p>I noticed many textbooks in undergraduate microeconomics cover the impacts of taxation but hardly any go in depth about the types of tax (unit tax vs proportionate tax). My question is, is there any microeconomic texts cover a broad range and in depth topics in applied microeconomics?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-27T10:54:39.070Z
Microeconomics is a fundamentally academic field so most "Microeconomics" textbooks will be somewhat abstract. If you are interested in a particular application (e.g., tax, competition policy, industrial regulation, contract design, market design, etc.) then it might be easier to find specialised books that really deal with the relevant application issues in depth.
Ubiquitous
<microeconomics><reference-request>
Good textbook in applied microeconomics
LLT
# Good textbook in applied microeconomics

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-07-23)

I noticed many textbooks in undergraduate microeconomics cover the impacts of taxation but hardly any go in depth about the types of tax (unit tax vs proportionate tax). My question is, is there any microeconomic texts cover a broad range and in depth topics in applied microeconomics?

**Tags:** microeconomics, reference-request

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Microeconomics is a fundamentally academic field so most "Microeconomics" textbooks will be somewhat abstract. If you are interested in a particular application (e.g., tax, competition policy, industrial regulation, contract design, market design, etc.) then it might be easier to find specialised books that really deal with the relevant application issues in depth.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-07-24. Score: 1

A classic on public choice and taxation theory is

*"The Power to Tax: Analytic Foundations of Fiscal Constitution"* by Brennan and Buchanan

Really interesting book and relatively easy read.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-07-23. Score: 0

If taxation is your main interest (making this question different from others on this site), perhaps the best book around is the 1980's classic by Atkinson and Stiglitz, [Lectures in Public Economics](http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10493.html). There is an updated version. See the Table of Contents [here](http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/c10493.pdf).

If you are simply interest in microeconomic textbooks, see [here](https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/4771/literature-recommendation-advanced-undergraduate-economics/4800#4800), [here](https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/4875/mathematical-micro-macro-economics-textbook-recommendation/4876#4876), and [here](https://economics.stackexchange.com/questions/6195/list-of-math-intense-graduate-level-microeconomics-books).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you very much. Since I'm now doing research in the private sector, graduate level microeconomics seem too technical for laymen. However, most undergraduate textbooks go through basic demand and supply with some very basic applications like taxation and quota. I'm looking for one that's more "applied microeconomics".  

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