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The effect of tax enforcement on tax morale

Author

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  • Filippin, Antonio
  • Fiorio, Carlo V.
  • Viviano, Eliana

Abstract

In this paper we argue that tax enforcement is an additional contextual factor affecting tax morale, one of the most important determinants of tax compliance. By using a unique dataset that merges a representative sample of Italian households with administrative data on tax enforcement, we first find that tax morale is positively correlated with tax enforcement. Second, to deal with possible endogeneity of tax enforcement, we show that results are confirmed in an IV specification using the change in the tax gap at the provincial level as an instrument for tax enforcement. Finally, we provide evidence that the impact of tax enforcement and social environment is stronger at low quantiles of tax morale. Our results show that besides that of lowering the expected value of tax evasion, tax enforcement has an additional and indirect effect on tax compliance through its effect on tax morale.

Suggested Citation

  • Filippin, Antonio & Fiorio, Carlo V. & Viviano, Eliana, 2013. "The effect of tax enforcement on tax morale," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 320-331.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:32:y:2013:i:c:p:320-331
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2013.09.005
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax morale; Tax evasion; Tax enforcement; Tax gap;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H29 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Other
    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General

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