Illegal Activities, But Still Value Added Ones: Size Causes and Measurement of the Shadow of Economies All Over the World

48 Pages Posted: 21 Mar 2001

See all articles by Friedrich Schneider

Friedrich Schneider

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research); Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Date Written: June 2000

Abstract

Using various methods estimates about the size of the shadow economy in 76 developing, transition and OECD countries are presented. The average size of the shadow economy (in percent of GDP) over 1989-93 in developing countries is 39%, in transition countries 23% and in OECD countries 12%. An increasing burden of taxation and social security contributions combined with rising state regulatory activities are the driving forces for the growth and size of the shadow economy. According to some findings, a growing shadow economy has a negative impact on official GDP growth, however, this result is not robust, other studies show the opposite effect.

JEL Classification: O17, O5, D78, H2, H26

Suggested Citation

Schneider, Friedrich G., Illegal Activities, But Still Value Added Ones: Size Causes and Measurement of the Shadow of Economies All Over the World (June 2000). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=263528 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.263528

Friedrich G. Schneider (Contact Author)

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics ( email )

Altenbergerstrasse 69
A-4040 Linz, 4040
Austria
+43 732 2468 8210 (Phone)
+43 732 2468 8208 (Fax)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research)

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Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.CESifo.de

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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