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The shadow economy in industrial countries

Author

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  • Dominik H. Enste

    (Cologne University of Applied Sciences and Cologne Institute for Economic Research, Germany)

Abstract

The shadow (underground) economy plays a major role in many countries. People evade taxes and regulations by working in the shadow economy or by employing people illegally. On the one hand, this unregulated economic activity can result in reduced tax revenue and public goods and services, lower tax morale and less tax compliance, higher control costs, and lower economic growth rates. But on the other hand, the shadow economy can be a powerful force for advancing institutional change and can boost the overall production of goods and services in the economy. The shadow economy has implications that extend beyond the economy to the political order.

Suggested Citation

  • Dominik H. Enste, 2015. "The shadow economy in industrial countries," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 127-127, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:y:2015:n:127
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lars P. Feld & Friedrich Schneider, 2010. "Survey on the Shadow Economy and Undeclared Earnings in OECD Countries," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 11(2), pages 109-149, May.
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    8. Friedrich Schneider (ed.), 2011. "Handbook on the Shadow Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13432.
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    10. Enste, Dominik, 2017. "Schwarzarbeit und Schattenwirtschaft: Argumente und Fakten zur nicht angemeldeten Erwerbstätigkeit in Deutschland und Europa," IW-Reports 9/2017, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW) / German Economic Institute.
    11. Schneider, Friedrich G. & Buehn, Andreas, 2009. "Shadow economies and corruption all over the world: revised estimates for 120 countries," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 1, pages 1-53.
    12. Schneider,Friedrich & Enste,Dominik H., 2016. "The Shadow Economy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781316600894.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stefan Petranov & Dimitar Zlatinov & Milen Velushev & Lillyana Georgieva & Radostina Ivcheva, 2022. "Shadow Economy and Production Factors: Results from an Empirical Analysis with a Panel Data Set," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 44-64.
    2. Zeddam Ahmed Amine & Dahmani Mohamed Driouche & Hamrit Abdelatif, 2021. "Informal Sector and International Capital Movement: New Evidence from Some Petroleum Countries," Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 35(1), pages 117-132, January.
    3. Corneliu-Sorin BAICU & Luminita-Claudia CORBU, 2016. "Economic Freedom - A Vector Of Transition From The Informal To The Formal Economy," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 8(1), pages 20-32, March.
    4. Ligita Gasparėnienė & Rita Remeikienė & Colin C. Williams, 2022. "Unemployment and the Informal Economy," SpringerBriefs in Economics, Springer, number 978-3-030-96687-4, September.
    5. Friedrich Schneider & Mangirdas Morkunas & Erika Quendler, 2021. "Measuring the Immeasurable: The Evolution of the Size of Informal Economy in the Agricultural Sector in the EU-15 up to 2019," CESifo Working Paper Series 8937, CESifo.
    6. Tran, My Thi Ha, 2021. "Public Sector Management And Corruption In Asean Plus Six," OSF Preprints stxw4, Center for Open Science.
    7. Ligita Gasparėnienė & Rita Remeikienė & Colin C. Williams, 2022. "Theorizing the Informal Economy," SpringerBriefs in Economics, in: Unemployment and the Informal Economy, chapter 0, pages 7-60, Springer.
    8. Petranov, Stefan, 2021. "Shadow economy and regional development - an argument in favor of fiscal decentralization," MPRA Paper 111264, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Oct 2021.
    9. Goldin, Ian & Koutroumpis, Pantelis & Lafond, François & Winkler, Julian, 2020. "Why is productivity slowing down?," MPRA Paper 99172, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Kostrytsya V., Burlai T., 2019. "Undeclared work as a new normality globally and in Ukraine," Economy and Forecasting, Valeriy Heyets, issue 1, pages 7-34.
    11. Chletsos, Michael & Sintos, Andreas, 2021. "Hide and seek: IMF intervention and the shadow economy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 292-319.
    12. Ramaz Otinashvili & Shota Veshapidze & Gia Zoidze, 2023. "Impact Of Economic Crime On The Sustainable Development Of The State," Three Seas Economic Journal, Publishing house "Baltija Publishing", vol. 4(1).
    13. Karolis Bielskis & Andrius Ciginas, 2020. "Household Wealth and Finances. Results for Households in Lithuania for 2017," Bank of Lithuania Discussion Paper Series 19, Bank of Lithuania.
    14. Daniel Němec & Zuzana Machová & Igor Kotlán & Eva Kotlánová & Christiana Kliková, 2022. "Corruption in Public Administration as a Brake on Transition to Industry 4.0," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    15. Corneliu Sorin BAICU & Cristian Valentin HAPENCIUC, 2016. "Model Of Choices, Institutions And Direct Democracy Quasi-Economic Factors Of The Influence Of Underground Economy," EcoForum, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Public Administration - Economy, Business Administration and Tourism Department., vol. 5(2), pages 1-30, July.
    16. Mara, Eugenia Ramona, 2021. "Drivers of the shadow economy in European Union welfare states: A panel data analysis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 309-325.
    17. Bruno Chiarini & Maria Ferrara & Elisabetta Marzano, 2016. "Investment Shocks, Tax Evasion and the Consumption Puzzle: A DSGE Analysis with Financial Frictions," CESifo Working Paper Series 6015, CESifo.
    18. Sahnoun, Marwa & Abdennadher, Chokri, 2019. "The nexus between unemployment rate and shadow economy: A comparative analysis of developed and developing countries using a simultaneous-equation model," Economics Discussion Papers 2019-30, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    19. Gabriela PRELIPCEAN, & Anamaria BUCACIUC, & Corneliu Sorin BAICU, 2016. "Social Economy And Informal Economy. Interactions And Effects," EcoForum, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Public Administration - Economy, Business Administration and Tourism Department., vol. 5(2), pages 1-12, july.
    20. Friedrich Schneider & Mangirdas Morkunas & Erika Quendler, 2023. "An estimation of the informal economy in the agricultural sector in the EU‐15 from 1996 to 2019," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 406-447, March.
    21. Bruno Chiarini & Maria Ferrara & Elisabetta Marzano, 2018. "Credit Channel and Business Cycle: The Role of Tax Evasion," CESifo Working Paper Series 7169, CESifo.
    22. Dagmara Nikulin & Ewa Lechman, 2021. "Shadow Economy in Poland: Results of the Survey," SpringerBriefs in Economics, in: Shadow Economy in Poland, chapter 0, pages 49-65, Springer.
    23. Dennis Nchor, 2021. "Shadow economies and tax evasion: The case of the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 43(1), pages 21-37, March.
    24. Mykolas Navickas & Vytautas JuÅ¡Ä ius & Valentinas Navickas, 2019. "Determinants of Shadow Economy in Eastern European Countries," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 66(1), pages 1-14, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    shadow economy; underground economy; informal economy; illicit work;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance

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