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Perception of Corruption and Public Support for Redistribution in Latin America

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  • Hauk, Esther

    (IAE Barcelona (CSIC))

  • Oviedo, Mónica

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

  • Ramos, Xavier

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

Abstract

This paper studies the relationship between people's beliefs about the quality of their institutions, as measured by corruption perceptions, and preferences for redistribution in Latin America. Our empirical study is guided by a theoretical model which introduces taxes into Foellmi and Oechslin's (2007) general equilibrium model of non-collusive corruption. In this model perceived corruption influences people's preferences for redistribution through two channels. On the one hand it undermines trust in government, which reduces people's support for redistribution. On the other hand, more corruption decreases own wealth relative to average wealth of below-average-wealth individuals leading to a higher demand for redistribution. Thus, the effect of perceived corruption on redistribution cannot be signed a priori. Our novel empirical findings for Latin America suggest that perceiving corruption in the public sector increases people's support for redistribution. Although the positive channel dominates in the data, we also and evidence for the negative channel from corruption to demand for redistribution via reduced trust.

Suggested Citation

  • Hauk, Esther & Oviedo, Mónica & Ramos, Xavier, 2017. "Perception of Corruption and Public Support for Redistribution in Latin America," IZA Discussion Papers 10854, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10854
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    Cited by:

    1. Busso, Matías & Ibáñez, Ana María & Messina, Julián & Quigua, Juliana, 2023. "Preferences for Redistribution in Latin America," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13183, Inter-American Development Bank.
    2. Bilal El Rafhi & Alexandre Volle, 2020. "The Effect of the Arab Spring on Preferences for Redistribution in Egypt," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 66(4), pages 875-903, December.
    3. Suwen Zheng & Chunhui Ye & Yunli Bai, 2023. "Does Supervision Down to the Countryside Level Benefit Rural Public Goods Supply? Evidence on the Extent of Households’ Satisfaction with Public Goods from 2005 to 2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-34, May.
    4. Busso, Matías & Ibáñez, Ana María & Messina, Julián & Quigua, Juliana, 2023. "Preferences for Redistribution in Latin America," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13183, Inter-American Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    bribery; perception of corruption; political trust; preference for redistribution; Latin America;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H1 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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