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Fiscal Illusion around the World

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  • Roberto Dell’Anno
  • Paulo Mourao

Abstract

This article estimates the magnitude of fiscal illusion around the world and evaluates whether relationships exist between fiscal illusion and a set of potential observed variables. The index of fiscal illusion is derived for approximately fifty countries over the period 2000–08. Using MIMIC models, the authors conclude that the structure of employment (self-employment as a percentage of total employment) and nominal marginal tax rates, by increasing the visibility of the tax burden, may constitute the greatest incentives for policy makers to distort taxpayers' perceptions. Less relevant are the determinants of fiscal illusion related to the information acquisition and processing capabilities of the taxpayer (i.e., freedom of the press and tertiary education).

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Dell’Anno & Paulo Mourao, 2012. "Fiscal Illusion around the World," Public Finance Review, , vol. 40(2), pages 270-299, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:40:y:2012:i:2:p:270-299
    DOI: 10.1177/1091142111425226
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Buehn & Roberto Dell’Anno & Friedrich Schneider, 2018. "Exploring the dark side of tax policy: an analysis of the interactions between fiscal illusion and the shadow economy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 1609-1630, June.
    2. Pedro Henrique Martins Prado & Cleomar Gomes da Silva, 2020. "Wagner’s Law and Fiscal Illusion: An analysis of state government finances in Brazil," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 628-643, May.
    3. Roberto Dell’Anno & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2013. "A Behavioral Local Public Finance Perspective on the Renter’s Illusion Hypothesis," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1303, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    4. Roberto Dell'Anno & Morena De Stefano, 2014. "Un indicatore sintetico dell?Illusione Finanziaria. Un tentativo di stima per l?Italia," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(1), pages 65-92.
    5. H. Spencer Banzhaf & Wallace E. Oates, 2013. "On Fiscal Illusion in Local Public Finance: Re-Examining Ricardian Equivalence and the Renter Effect," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 66(3), pages 511-540, September.
    6. Andreas Eisl, 2017. "Explaining Variation in Public Debt: A Quantitative Analysis of the Effects of Governance," Sciences Po publications 17/1, Sciences Po.
    7. Hailin Chen & Friedrich Schneider & Qunli Sun, 2020. "Measuring the size of the shadow economy in 30 provinces of China over 1995–2016: The MIMIC approach," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 427-453, August.
    8. Roberto Dell’Anno & Brian Dollery, 2014. "Comparative fiscal illusion: a fiscal illusion index for the European Union," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 937-960, May.
    9. Hailin Chen & Friedrich Schneider & Qunli Sun, 2018. "Size, Determinants, and Consequences of Corruption in China's Provinces: The MIMIC Approach," CESifo Working Paper Series 7175, CESifo.
    10. Andreas Eisl, 2017. "Explaining Variation in Public Debt," Working Papers hal-02187805, HAL.
    11. Francois Facchini, 2018. "What Are the Determinants of Public Spending? An Overview of the Literature," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 46(4), pages 419-439, December.
    12. Andrew Abbott & Philip Jones, 2021. "The cyclicality of government foreign-aid expenditure: voter awareness in “good” times and in “bad”," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 186(1), pages 97-117, January.
    13. Lenka Malicka, 2021. "The Mill Hypothesis Examination on the EU Sample," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 17(2), pages 47-58.
    14. Facchini, Francois, 2014. "The determinants of public spending: a survey in a methodological perspective," MPRA Paper 53006, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Roberto Dell'Anno & Vincenzo Maria De Rosa, 2013. "The Relevance of the Theory of Fiscal Illusion. The Case of the Italian Tax System," HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT AND POLICY, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 63-92.
    16. Buehn, Andreas & Dell'Anno, Roberto & Schneider, Friedrich, 2012. "Fiscal illusion and the shadow economy: Two sides of the same coin?," MPRA Paper 42531, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Paulo Mourao, 2020. "Exploring the Likelihood of a Country Being a Tax Haven Using MIMIC Models," Econometric Research in Finance, SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis, vol. 5(1), pages 17-32, June.
    18. Ronit Levine-Schnur & Gideon Parchomovsky, 2016. "Is the Government Fiscally Blind? An Empirical Examination of the Effect of the Compensation Requirement on Eminent-Domain Exercises," The Journal of Legal Studies, University of Chicago Press, vol. 45(2), pages 437-469.
    19. Eisl, Andreas, 2017. "Explaining variation in public debt: A quantitative analysis of the effects of governance," MaxPo Discussion Paper Series 17/1, Max Planck Sciences Po Center on Coping with Instability in Market Societies (MaxPo).
    20. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/67pdgvv1o1924au1fvpb4bng12 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. H. Spencer Banzhaf & Wallace E. Oates, 2012. "On Fiscal Illusion and Ricardian Equivalence in Local Public Finance," NBER Working Papers 18040, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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