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Testing the slippery slope framework

Author

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  • Gaetano Lisi

    (CreaM Economic Centre (University of Cassino))

Abstract

The aim of this short paper is to empirically test the key hypothesis of the ‘slippery slope' framework, namely: (1) trust (in) and power (of) tax authorities are both necessary to guarantee a high level of tax compliance; (2) the interaction between trust and power, as well as voluntary tax compliance, are crucial for increasing overall tax compliance; (3) the possibility that a “slippery slope” situation occurs and then a reduction of power and/or trust below a certain critical level significantly reduces tax compliance. We find empirical support for all of these hypotheses. Furthermore, we also find that trust is more important than power.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaetano Lisi, 2012. "Testing the slippery slope framework," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(2), pages 1369-1377.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-12-00277
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    Cited by:

    1. Batrancea, Larissa & Nichita, Anca & Olsen, Jerome & Kogler, Christoph & Kirchler, Erich & Hoelzl, Erik & Weiss, Avi & Torgler, Benno & Fooken, Jonas & Fuller, Joanne & Schaffner, Markus & Banuri, She, 2019. "Trust and power as determinants of tax compliance across 44 nations," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Siglé, Maarten & Goslinga, Sjoerd & Speklé, Roland & van der Hel, Lisette & Veldhuizen, Robbert, 2018. "Corporate tax compliance: Is a change towards trust-based tax strategies justified?," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 3-16.
    3. Youngrok Kim & Hongyu Wan & Minjo Kang, 2022. "Card or cash? Evidence regarding consumers' cooperative value‐added tax compliance," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 337-359, September.
    4. Larissa Batrancea & Ramona-Anca Nichita & Ioan Batrancea, 2014. "Scrutinizing Trust In Authorities And Power Of Authorities As Facets Shaping The Mediterranean Tax Climate," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 3, pages 61-69, June.
    5. James Alm, 2022. "Trust, the Pandemic, and Public Policies," National Tax Journal, University of Chicago Press, vol. 75(2), pages 355-370.
    6. Víctor Mauricio Castañeda-Rodríguez & Gaetano Lisi, 2024. "Can public efficiency increase tax morale? Evidence from 18 Latin American countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 209-231, June.
    7. Fábio Pereira Silva & Reinaldo Guerreiro & Eduardo Flores, 2019. "Voluntary versus enforced tax compliance: the slippery slope framework in the Brazilian context," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 66(2), pages 147-180, June.
    8. James Alm, 2024. "Tax Compliance, Technology, Trust, and Inequality in a Post-Pandemic World," Working Papers 2404, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    9. Batrancea, Larissa M. & Kudła, Janusz & Błaszczak, Barbara & Kopyt, Mateusz, 2022. "Differences in tax evasion attitudes between students and entrepreneurs under the slippery slope framework," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 464-482.
    10. Gaetano Lisi, 2012. "Macroeconomic implications of the dynamics between power and trust: a theoretical formalisation of the ‘slippery slope’ framework," Discussion Papers in Economic Behaviour 1012, University of Valencia, ERI-CES.
    11. Carlin Dowling & W. Robert Knechel & Robyn Moroney, 2018. "Public Oversight of Audit Firms: The Slippery Slope of Enforcing Regulation," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 54(3), pages 353-380, September.
    12. Tsikas, Stefanos A., 2017. "Enforce Tax Compliance, but Cautiously: The Role of Trust in Authorities and Power of Authorities," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-589, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    13. Prinz, Aloys & Muehlbacher, Stephan & Kirchler, Erich, 2014. "The slippery slope framework on tax compliance: An attempt to formalization," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 20-34.
    14. Fany Inasius & Giri Darijanto & Engelwati Gani & Gatot Soepriyanto, 2020. "Tax Compliance After the Implementation of Tax Amnesty in Indonesia," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, October.
    15. Kasper, Matthias & Kogler, Christoph & Kirchler, Erich, 2015. "Tax policy and the news: An empirical analysis of taxpayers’ perceptions of tax-related media coverage and its impact on tax compliance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 58-63.
    16. Stefanos A. Tsikas, 2020. "Enforce taxes, but cautiously: societal implications of the slippery slope framework," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 149-170, August.
    17. Kogler, Christoph & Batrancea, Larissa & Nichita, Anca & Pantya, Jozsef & Belianin, Alexis & Kirchler, Erich, 2013. "Trust and power as determinants of tax compliance: Testing the assumptions of the slippery slope framework in Austria, Hungary, Romania and Russia," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 169-180.
    18. Christoph Kogler & Stephan Muehlbacher & Erich Kirchler, 2015. "Testing the “slippery slope framework” among self-employed taxpayers," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 125-142, May.
    19. Pukelienė Violeta & Kažemekaitytė Austėja, 2016. "Tax Behaviour: Assessment of Tax Compliance in European Union Countries," Ekonomika (Economics), Sciendo, vol. 95(2), pages 30-56, February.
    20. Colin C. Williams & Friedrich Schneider, 2016. "Measuring the Global Shadow Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16551.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tax compliance; tax evasion; power and trust;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • D0 - Microeconomics - - General

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