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Give Me Liberty, or I Will Produce Underground: Effects of Economic Freedom on the Shadow Economy

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  • Aziz N. Berdiev
  • James W. Saunoris
  • Friedrich Schneider

Abstract

This article examines the impact of economic freedom on the shadow economy. Using panel data on over 100 countries from 2000 to 2015, we find that economic freedom is effective at reducing the spread of the shadow economy. Moreover, after disaggregating economic freedom into its five main components, the results suggest that all aspects of economic freedom significantly mitigate shadow activities with freedom from regulation exhibiting the largest impact. Overall, these findings are robust after accounting for alternate measures of the shadow economy, simultaneity, outliers, and nonlinearities. Thus, countries aiming to combat the spread of shadow activities would benefit from policies that support economic freedom.

Suggested Citation

  • Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris & Friedrich Schneider, 2018. "Give Me Liberty, or I Will Produce Underground: Effects of Economic Freedom on the Shadow Economy," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 85(2), pages 537-562, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:85:y:2018:i:2:p:537-562
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12303
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Goel, Rajeev K. & Saunoris, James W., 2020. "Spatial spillovers of pollution onto the underground sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    4. Nguyen, Canh Phuc, 2022. "Does economic complexity matter for the shadow economy?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 210-227.
    5. Ben Atta, Oussama & Chort, Isabelle & Senne, Jean Noël, 2022. "Immigration, integration, and the informal economy in OECD countries," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1197, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Owolabi, Adegboyega O. & Berdiev, Aziz N. & Saunoris, James W., 2022. "Is the shadow economy procyclical or countercyclical over the business cycle? International evidence," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 257-270.
    7. Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris, 2019. "Globalization and Informal Entrepreneurship: A Cross-Country Analysis," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 47(1), pages 65-80, March.
    8. Oussama Ben Atta & Isabelle Chort & Jean-Noël Senne, 2022. "Immigration, integration, and the informal economy in OECD countries," Working Papers hal-03822494, HAL.
    9. 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.
    10. Richard J. Cebula, 2019. "Labor market freedom and geographic differentials in the percentage unemployment rate in the U.S," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 43(4), pages 828-840, October.
    11. Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris, 2020. "Cross‐Country Evidence Of Corruption Spillovers To Formal And Informal Entrepreneurship," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 38(1), pages 48-66, January.
    12. Mohammed Nayel Abu Alfoul & Ibrahim Naser Khatatbeh & Fouad Jamaani, 2022. "What Determines the Shadow Economy? An Extreme Bounds Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-22, May.
    13. Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris & Friedrich Schneider, 2020. "Poverty and the shadow economy: The role of governmental institutions," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 921-947, April.
    14. Md. Nur Alam Siddik & Sajal Kabiraj & Md. Emran Hosen & Md. Firoze Miah, 2022. "Impacts of Political Stability on Shadow Economy: Evidence from Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Countries," Vision, , vol. 26(2), pages 221-231, June.
    15. Oussama Ben Atta & Isabelle Chort & Jean-Noël Senne, 2022. "Immigration, integration, and the informal economy in OECD countries," Working papers of Transitions Energétiques et Environnementales (TREE) hal-03822494, HAL.

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