Economic growth and corporate tax rates, 1947–2010

Year Real GDP growth Effective rate on capital income Statutory rate
1947 -0.9% 38.0%
1948 4.3% 38.0%
1949 -0.5% 38.0%
1950 8.4% 42.0%
1951 7.5% 50.8%
1952 3.8% 52.0%
1953 4.5% 52.0%
1954 -0.6% 58.0% 52.0%
1955 7.0% 44.0% 52.0%
1956 2.0% 46.0% 52.0%
1957 2.0% 48.0% 52.0%
1958 -0.9% 47.0% 52.0%
1959 6.9% 45.0% 52.0%
1960 2.4% 42.0% 52.0%
1961 2.3% 42.0% 52.0%
1962 5.9% 35.0% 52.0%
1963 4.3% 34.0% 52.0%
1964 5.6% 31.0% 50.0%
1965 6.2% 29.0% 48.0%
1966 6.3% 30.0% 52.8%
1967 2.5% 33.0% 52.8%
1968 4.7% 37.0% 52.8%
1969 3.1% 45.0% 52.8%
1970 0.2% 42.0% 49.2%
1971 3.3% 38.0% 48.0%
1972 5.2% 38.0% 48.0%
1973 5.6% 38.0% 48.0%
1974 -0.6% 42.0% 48.0%
1975 -0.2% 44.0% 48.0%
1976 5.2% 40.0% 48.0%
1977 4.5% 40.0% 48.0%
1978 5.4% 46.0% 48.0%
1979 3.1% 45.0% 46.0%
1980 -0.3% 48.0% 46.0%
1981 2.5% 38.0% 46.0%
1982 -2.0% 35.0% 46.0%
1983 4.4% 34.0% 46.0%
1984 6.9% 33.0% 46.0%
1985 4.1% 33.0% 46.0%
1986 3.4% 33.0% 46.0%
1987 3.1% 33.0% 40.0%
1988 4.0% 33.0% 34.0%
1989 3.5% 33.0% 34.0%
1990 1.9% 31.0% 34.0%
1991 -0.2% 30.0% 34.0%
1992 3.3% 30.0% 34.0%
1993 2.8% 31.0% 35.0%
1994 4.0% 30.0% 35.0%
1995 2.5% 31.0% 35.0%
1996 3.7% 31.0% 35.0%
1997 4.4% 31.0% 35.0%
1998 4.3% 30.0% 35.0%
1999 4.7% 30.0% 35.0%
2000 4.1% 31.0% 35.0%
2001 1.1% 30.0% 35.0%
2002 1.8% 29.0% 35.0%
2003 2.5% 23.0% 35.0%
2004 3.4% 26.0% 35.0%
2005 3.0% 30.0% 35.0%
2006 2.6% 35.0%
2007 1.9% 35.0%
2008 -0.3% 35.0%
2009 -3.5% 35.0%
2010 3.0% 35.0%

Source: Author's analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income and Product Accounts data (Table 1.1.1), Internal Revenue Service Statistics of Income Historical Table 24, and Gravelle (2006)

View the underlying data on epi.org.