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Local Autonomy, Tax Morale and the Shadow Economy

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Author Info
Benno Torgler
Friedrich Schneider
Christoph A. Schaltegger

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Abstract

Policymakers often propose strict enforcement strategies to fight the shadow economy and to increase tax morale. However, there is also a bottom-up approach such as, for example, decentralizing the political power to those who are close to the problems. Thus, this paper analyses the relationship between local autonomy and tax morale or the size of the shadow economy. We use data on tax morale at the individual level and macro data of the size of the shadow economy to systematically analyse the relevance of local autonomy and compliance in Switzerland, a country where the degree of federalism varies across different cantons. The findings suggest that there is a positive (negative) relationship between local autonomy and tax morale (size of the shadow economy).

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File URL: http://www.bus.qut.edu.au/faculty/schools/economics/documents/discussionPapers/2008/243Togler.pdf
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology in its series School of Economics and Finance Discussion Papers and Working Papers Series with number 243.

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Length: 40 pages
Date of creation: 27 Jan 2009
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:qut:dpaper:243

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Related research
Keywords: Tax Morale; Shadow Economy; Tax Compliance; Tax Evasion; Local Autonomy; Federalism; Institution;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion
H73 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Interjurisdictional Differentials and Their Effects
D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General

References listed on IDEAS
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    Other versions:
  6. Torgler, Benno, 2002. " Speaking to Theorists and Searching for Facts: Tax Morale and Tax Compliance in Experiments," Journal of Economic Surveys, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 16(5), pages 657-83, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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    Other versions:
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    Other versions:
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    Other versions:
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  19. repec:att:wimass:199610 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Other versions:
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