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Yellow Vests, Pessimistic Beliefs, and Carbon Tax Aversion

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  • Thomas Douenne
  • Adrien Fabre

Abstract

Using a representative survey, we find that after the Yellow Vests movement, French people would largely reject a tax and dividend policy, i.e., a carbon tax whose revenues are redistributed uniformly to each adult. They overestimate their net monetary losses, wrongly think that the policy is regressive, and do not perceive it as environmentally effective. We show that changing people's beliefs can substantially increase support. Although significant, the effects of our informational treatments on beliefs are small. Indeed, the respondents that oppose the tax tend to discard positive information about it, which is consistent with distrust, uncertainty, or motivated reasoning.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Douenne & Adrien Fabre, 2022. "Yellow Vests, Pessimistic Beliefs, and Carbon Tax Aversion," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 81-110, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:14:y:2022:i:1:p:81-110
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200092
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Can Askan Mavi & Nicolas Quérou, 2020. "Common pool resource management and risk perceptions," DEM Discussion Paper Series 20-25, Department of Economics at the University of Luxembourg.
    2. van der Ploeg, Frederick & Rezai, Armon & Tovar Reanos, Miguel, 2022. "Gathering support for green tax reform: Evidence from German household surveys," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Can Askan Mavi & Nicolas Quérou, 2020. "Common pool resource management and risk perceptions," CEE-M Working Papers hal-03052114, CEE-M, Universtiy of Montpellier, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro.
    4. Achim Hagen & Karen Pittel, 2021. "Chancen und Risiken klimapolitischer Langfriststrategien am Beispiel des deutschen Klimaschutzgesetzes," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 101(5), pages 334-338, May.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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