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Taxing Identity: Theory and Evidence from Early Islam

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  • Saleh, Mohamed
  • Tirole, Jean

Abstract

A ruler who does not identify with a social group, whether on religious, ethnic, cultural or socioeconomic grounds, is confronted with a trade-off between taking advantage of the out-group population's eagerness to maintain its identity and inducing it to ``comply'' (conversion, quit, exodus or any other way of accommodating the ruler's own identity). This paper first analyzes the ruler's optimal mix of discriminatory and non-discriminatory taxation, both in a static and an evolving environment. The paper then uses novel data sources to test the theory in the context of Egypt’s conversion to Islam between 641 and 1200. The evidence is broadly consistent with the theoretical predictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Saleh, Mohamed & Tirole, Jean, 2019. "Taxing Identity: Theory and Evidence from Early Islam," CEPR Discussion Papers 13705, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13705
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    Cited by:

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    3. Becker, Sascha O. & Rubin, Jared & Woessmann, Ludger, 2020. "Religion in Economic History : A Survey," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1273, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    4. Mohamed Saleh & Jean Tirole, 2021. "Taxing Identity: Theory and Evidence From Early Islam," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(4), pages 1881-1919, July.
    5. Becker, Sascha O. & Mukand, Sharun & Yotzov, Ivan, 2022. "Persecution, pogroms and genocide: A conceptual framework and new evidence," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Øivind Schøyen, 0. "What limits the efficacy of coercion?," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 0, pages 1-52.
    7. Stergios Skaperdas & Patrick A. Testa, 2023. "National Identity, Public Goods, and Modern Economic Development," CESifo Working Paper Series 10358, CESifo.
    8. Øivind Schøyen, 2021. "What limits the efficacy of coercion?," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 15(2), pages 267-318, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Islam; Poll tax; Identity taxation; Laffer curve; Legitimacy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • N45 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Asia including Middle East
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion

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