Endogenous Taxation in Ongoing Internal Conflict: The Case of Colombia

Rafael Ch, Jacob Shapiro, Abbey Steele, Juan F. Vargas

Producción científica: Contribución a publicación especializada Artículo

31 Citas (Scopus)

Resumen

Recent empirical evidence suggests an ambiguous relationship between internal conflicts, state capacity, and tax performance. In theory, internal conflict should create strong incentives for governments to develop the fiscal capacity necessary to defeat rivals. We argue that one reason that this does not occur is because internal conflict enables groups with de facto power to capture local fiscal and property rights institutions. We test this mechanism in Colombia using data on tax performance and property rights institutions at the municipal level. Municipalities affected by internal conflict have tax institutions consistent with the preferences of the parties dominating local violence. Those suffering more right-wing violence feature more land formalization and higher property tax revenues. Municipalities with substantial left-wing guerrilla violence collect less tax revenue and witness less land formalization. Our findings provide systematic evidence that internal armed conflict helps interest groups capture municipal institutions for their own private benefit, impeding state-building.

Idioma originalInglés estadounidense
Páginas996-1015
Número de páginas19
Volumen112
N.º4
Publicación especializadaAmerican Political Science Review
DOI
EstadoPublicada - nov. 1 2018
Publicado de forma externa

Áreas temáticas de ASJC Scopus

  • Sociología y ciencias políticas
  • Ciencias políticas y relaciones internacionales

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