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Informality, enforcement and growth

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  • Maiti, Dibyendu
  • Bhattacharyya, Chandril

Abstract

This paper develops a two-sector growth model with formal and informal sectors for an economy that cares about redistribution and illustrates its relationship with the enforcement level. The technology gap and labour rigidity explicate the duality. The state can tax the formal sector to subsidise informal income and finance public infrastructure. Alternatively, enforcement, which is costly and corresponds to a variety of discrete components from the security of property rights and integrity of contracts to control of corruptions, can be chosen to favour the formal sector and discourage the informal sector. It is observed that weaker enforcement required to accommodate some degree of informality, which releases tax burden from the formal sector needed for redistribution, can accelerate growth rate. However, sufficiently weaker enforcement dampens the formal sector expansion and growth rate. The growth rate registers an inverted-U shaped relationship against the enforcement level. The optimum enforcement can, however, be higher without formal labour union and subsidisation. This must be higher for welfare maximisation than that of growth rate, especially when the consumer cares about the quality of enforcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Maiti, Dibyendu & Bhattacharyya, Chandril, 2020. "Informality, enforcement and growth," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 259-274.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:84:y:2020:i:c:p:259-274
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2019.04.015
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    Cited by:

    1. Maiti,Dibyendu & Khari,Bhavna, 2023. "Digitalisation, Governance and the Informal Sector," IDE Discussion Papers 898, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    2. Gao, Yihong & Gao, Jiayan, 2023. "Employee protection and trade credit: Learning from China's social insurance law," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Bhattacharyya, Chandril & Ranjan Gupta, Manash, 2021. "Unionised labour market, environment and endogenous growth," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 29-44.
    4. Andres García-Suaza & Fernando Jaramillo & Marlon Salazar, 2023. "Tax policies, informality, and real wage rigidities," Documentos de Trabajo 20744, Universidad del Rosario.
    5. Arbex Marcelo & Corrêa Márcio V. & Magalhães Marcos R. V., 2023. "Tolerance of Informality and Occupational Choices in a Large Informal Sector Economy," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 23(1), pages 241-278, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    The informal sector; Growth; Enforcement; Taxation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J46 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Informal Labor Market
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth

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