We show that current differences in trust levels within former Soviet Union countries can be traced back to the system of forced prison labor during Stalin's rule, which was marked by high incarceration rates, repression, and harsh punishments. We argue that those exposed to forced labor camps...

Prior studies show that taxes matter for the residential locations of high-income earners. But, states raise a significant share of revenue from nonresidents. Using variation in state tax rates, we provide causal evidence on the effect of the net-of-tax rate on the location of labor supply for...

Do employees with supervisory responsibilities differ from other workers in terms of human values, especially those potentially affecting the quality and efficiency of supervision? This paper uses data from rounds 7-9 of the European Social Survey to examine the selection of employees into...

Local and state governments attempt to lessen after-tax income inequality via progressive taxation. Migration responses of capital and labor undermine such attempts. Location theory predicts that cross-state migration will continue until the redistributive effects from taxation are fully...

The growing divergence in U.S. employee relations is described through a review of national and state-level changes to employment protection laws. Major employment laws are reviewed, as are the significant exceptions to the laws, and exemptions to the exceptions. Major regulatory actions, as...

Governments do not have perfect information regarding constituent priorities and needs. This lack of knowledge opens the door for groups to lobby in order to affect the government’s taxation levels. We examine the political economy of decentralized revenue-raising authority in light of social...

This paper introduces novel data on public sentiment towards economic sanctions based on nearly one million social media posts in 109 countries during the Russia-Ukraine war by using machine learning. We show the geographical heterogeneity between government stances and public sentiment....

Institutional changes have a significant impact on government capabilities and hierarchical relationships, especially in developing countries that characterized by governmental intervention for regional development. Using data from China's districts and counties from 1993 to 2022, this paper...