This survey presents the various methods to estimate the size of the shadow economy, their strengths and weaknesses and the estimation results. The purpose of the survey is threefold. Firstly, it demonstrates that no ideal method to estimate the size and development of the shadow economy exists....

Policymakers often propose strict enforcement strategies to fight the shadow economy and to increase tax morale. However, there is also a bottom-up approach: decentralizing the political power to those who are close to the problems and give them a direct political say. This paper analyses the...

With the ratification of the Kyoto protocol and the installation of the European Emission Trading Scheme, the European Union’s governments showed a basic willingness to commit themselves to environmentally friendly policies. But today, the success of these commitments is questionable: all of...

Whether a country is able effectively to address collective action problems is a critical test of its ability to fulfill the demands of its citizens to their satisfaction. We study one particularly important collective action problem: the environment. Using a large panel dataset covering 25...

We analyze, both theoretically and empirically, the influence of direct democratic institutions on the size and development of shadow economies. Our model suggests that, as the extent of direct democracy increases, implemented fiscal policies more nearly reflect the preferences of citizens and...

In this paper, the main focus is on the definition, measurement methods, and causal factors of the shadow economy in OECD countries. The greatest influence on the shadow economy is tax policies and state regulation. Furthermore, an appreciation of the overall burden of the state (taxes and...

In der vergangenen Dekade hat Deutschland den Kampf gegen Schwarzarbeit und Steuerhinterziehung durch zahlreiche Maßnahmen verschärft. Doch sind Steuerhinterziehung und Schwarzarbeit in Deutschland tatsächlich so omnipräsent, wie die Bundesregierung immer wieder glauben machen will? Und wie...