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Corruption, Tax Burden, and Demand for Redistribution in African Countries

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  • Welde, Andualem Assefa

Abstract

What triggered the widespread public backlash against tax reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa, echoing the scale and intensity of the Arab Spring? Economic factors, such as income and inequality, appear to be weak predictors of public attitudes toward redistribution. This study empirically examines corruption as a key factor shaping perceptions of tax burden and redistributive preferences. The analysis draws on newly available data from the 8th round of the Afrobarometer survey (2019–2021), which includes relevant questions for the first time. This period coincided with a wave of anti-tax protests across several African countries. The findings suggest that corruption is strongly associated with higher perceived tax burdens. The results also indicate that corruption diminishes the demand for and willingness to support redistributive taxation. The policy implications include tax compliance, inequality and governance issues on the continent.

Suggested Citation

  • Welde, Andualem Assefa, 2025. "Corruption, Tax Burden, and Demand for Redistribution in African Countries," EconStor Preprints 320555, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:esprep:320555
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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