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Tax Morale and Happiness: Evidence From Türkiye

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 21 - 36, 30.06.2025
https://doi.org/10.30927/ijpf.1586469

Abstract

Psychological factors have come to the fore in tax compliance in recent years. Taxpayers' emotional states influence tax compliance. While taxpayers comply with taxes because they are happy, they are so glad because of the financial honesty they experience when paying taxes. This study examines the relationship between happiness and tax morality. Five hundred twenty-four people participated in the study, which was conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, using non-probability convenience sampling. It was discovered that the taxpayers' level of satisfaction and tax morality was moderate in the study that employed the survey technique. According to the non-parametric test results, the tax morality of those who feel happy is higher than that of those who feel unhappy. Those with high tax morale are happier than those with low tax morale. According to this result, it can be said that increasing the practices that improve the happiness of taxpayers will increase tax compliance.

References

  • Andreoni, J., Erard, B. & Feinstein, J. (1998). “Tax compliance”. Journal of Economic Literature 36, 818–860.
  • Akay, A., Bargain, O., Dolls, M., Neumann, D., Peichl, A. & Siegloch, S. (2012). “Happy Taxpayers? Income Taxation and Well-Being”. German Socio-Economic Panel Study (Soep) Papers, DIW Berlin.
  • Albanese, M., Bonasia, M., Napolitano, O. & Spagnolo, N. (2015). “Happiness, Taxes, and Social Provision: A Note”. Econ. Lett. 135, 100–103.
  • Athira, A. & Ramesh, V. K., (2024), “Corporate thanksgiving in blissful nations: An empirical analysis of happiness and corporate tax avoidance”. Economic Letters, 235,111567.
  • Bruni, L. & Stanca, L., (2008). “Watching alone: Relational goods, television, and happiness”. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 65, 506–528.
  • Ciziceno, M., & Pizzuto, P. (2022). “Life satisfaction and tax morale: The role of trust in government and cultural orientation”. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 97, 101824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2021.101824
  • Çelebi, K., Miynat, M., Canbay, T., Bulut, Z. A., Özcan, P. M. & Tunçay, B. (2017). “Üniversite öğrencilerinin vergi bilinci ve vergi algılarının ölçülmesine yönelik ampirik bir araştırma: Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Örneği”. Manisa Calal Bayar Üniversitesi Yayınları, Yayın No: 36, Manisa.
  • Corzo T., Hernan, R. & Pedrosa, G., (2024). “Behavioral finance in a hundred keywords”, Heliyon, 10,e35979.
  • Doğan, T. & Sapmaz, F. (2012). “Oxford Mutluluk Ölçeği Türkçe Formunun psikometrik özelliklerinin üniversite öğrencilerinde incelenmesi”. Düşünen Adam Psikiyatri ve Nörolojik Bilimler Dergisi, 25: 297-304.
  • Dogan, B.S. & Secilmis, İ.E. (2020). “The evolution of tax morale in Türkiye”. Journal of Economy Culture and Society, 62, 145-166.
  • Eralp A., Şahin, S. & Çağdaş, Y. (2020) “Vergi Yükü ve Mutluluk İlişkisi Mekansal Ekonometrik Modellerle Analizi”, Uluslararası Yönetim İktisat ve İşletme Dergisi, Cilt 16, Sayı 4, 870-890.
  • Frey, B.S. & Stutzer, A., (2000). “Happiness, economy, and institutions”. Economic Journal 110, 918–938.
  • Harbaugh, W.T., Mayr, U. & Burghart, D.R. (2007). “Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations”. Science, 316, 1622–1625.
  • Hopfensitz, A. & Reuben, E. (2009). “The importance of emotions for the effectiveness of social punishment”. Econ. J., 119 (540), 1534–1559, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2009.02288.x
  • Hills, P. & Argyle, M. (2002). “The Oxford happiness questionnaire: a compact scale for measuring psychological well-being”. Pers Individ Diff 2002; 33:1073-1082.
  • Khadjavi, M. (2015). “On the interaction of deterrence and emotions”. J. LawEcon. Organ. 31 (3), 287–319, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jleo/ewu012.
  • Kirchler, R. & Wahl, I., (2010). “Tax Compliance Inventory: Tax –I Voluntary Tax Compliance, Enforced Tax Compliance, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion”. J Econ Psychol, June 31 (3), 1-21.
  • Kirchler, E. (1997). “The burden of new taxes: Acceptance of taxes as a function of effectiveness and egoistic versus altruistic orientation”. Journal of Socio-Economics, 26, 421–436.
  • Kirchler, E. (1999). “Reactance to taxation: Employers’ attitudes towards taxes”. Journal of Socio-Economics, 28 (2), 131-138.
  • Kirchler, E., Hoelzl, E. & Wahl, I. (2008). “Enforced versus voluntary tax compliance: the ‘slippery slope’ framework”. J. Econ. Psychol. 29, 210–225, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.05.004.
  • Kitapçı, İ. (2015). Vergi Etiği Vergi Psikolojisi, Seçkin Kitapevi, Ankara.
  • Lubian, D. & Zarri, L. (2011). “Happiness and Tax Morale: An Empirical Analysis”. J. Econ. Behav. Organ. 80 (1), 223–243.
  • Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). “The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success?”. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803-855.
  • Magen, Z., & Aharoni, R. (1991). “Adolescents’ contributing toward others: Relationship to positive experiences and transpersonal commitment”. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 31, 126–143.
  • Nadirov O., Aliyev, K., Dehning, B., Sharifzada & Aliyeva, R. (2021). “Life Satisfaction and Tax Morale in Azerbaijan: Mediating Role of Institutional Trust and Financial Satisfaction”. Sustainability, 13(21), 12228.
  • Olsen, J., Kasper, M., Enachescu, J., Benk, S. & Budak, T. (2018). “Emotions and tax compliance among small business owners: An experimental survey”. International Review of Law and Economics, 56, 42-52.
  • Sá, C., Martins, A., & Gomes, C. (2015). “Tax morale determinants in Portugal”. European Scientific Journal, 11(10), 236.
  • Scholz, J. T. & Lubell, M. (1998).“Adaptive Political Attitudes: Duty, Trust, and Fear as Monitors of Tax Policy,”. American Journal of Political Science, 42(3), 903-920.
  • Song, Y. D. & Yarbrough, T. E. (1978). “Tax Ethics and Taxpayer Attitudes: A Survey”. Public Administration Review, 38, 442–452.
  • Sekaran, U. (1992). Social Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, Wiley.
  • Şeker M. (2009). “Mutluluk Ekonomisi”. Istanbul Journal of Sociological Studies, Issue: 39, 115-140.
  • Tekeli, R. (2011). “The Determinants of Tax Morale: the Effects of Cultural Differences and Politics”. PRI Discussion Paper Series, No. 11A-1. Retrieved from https://www.mof.go.jp/pri/international_exchange/visiting_scholar_program/ws2011_d.pdf
  • Tjondro, E. (2018). “Individual Satisfaction and Tax Morale: The Perspective of Different Professions in Indonesia”. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 8 (2), 14–37. ISSN 2161-7104.
  • Torgler, B. (2003). “Tax Morale and Institutions”. Center for Research in Economics, Management and Arts, Working Paper No. 2003.
  • Torgler, B. (2004). “Tax morale in Asian countries”. Journal of Asian Economics, 15, 237–266.
  • Torgler, B. (2005). “Tax morale in Latin America”. Public Choice, 122 (1-2), 133–157.
  • Tov, W. & Diener, E. (2009). “The Well-Being of Nations: Linking Together Trust, Cooperation, and Democracy”. In: Diener E. (eds) The Science of Well-Being. Social Indicators Research Series, Vol 37. Springer, Dordrecht.
  • Triandis, H. C. (1996). “The psychological measurement of cultural syndromes”. American Psychologist, 51(4), 407-415.
  • Verme, P. (2009). “Happiness, freedom, and control”. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 71, 146–161.
  • Weisbach, D. A. (2007). “What does happiness Research Tell Us about Taxation?” (John M. Olin Program in Law and Economics Working Paper No. 342, 2007).

Tax Morale and Happiness: Evidence From Türkiye

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 21 - 36, 30.06.2025
https://doi.org/10.30927/ijpf.1586469

Abstract

Psychological factors have come to the fore in tax compliance in recent years. Taxpayers' emotional states influence tax compliance. While taxpayers comply with taxes because they are happy, they are so glad because of the financial honesty they experience when paying taxes. This study examines the relationship between happiness and tax morality. Five hundred twenty-four people participated in the study, which was conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, using non-probability convenience sampling. It was discovered that the taxpayers' level of satisfaction and tax morality was moderate in the study that employed the survey technique. According to the non-parametric test results, the tax morality of those who feel happy is higher than that of those who feel unhappy. Those with high tax morale are happier than those with low tax morale. According to this result, it can be said that increasing the practices that improve the happiness of taxpayers will increase tax compliance.

References

  • Andreoni, J., Erard, B. & Feinstein, J. (1998). “Tax compliance”. Journal of Economic Literature 36, 818–860.
  • Akay, A., Bargain, O., Dolls, M., Neumann, D., Peichl, A. & Siegloch, S. (2012). “Happy Taxpayers? Income Taxation and Well-Being”. German Socio-Economic Panel Study (Soep) Papers, DIW Berlin.
  • Albanese, M., Bonasia, M., Napolitano, O. & Spagnolo, N. (2015). “Happiness, Taxes, and Social Provision: A Note”. Econ. Lett. 135, 100–103.
  • Athira, A. & Ramesh, V. K., (2024), “Corporate thanksgiving in blissful nations: An empirical analysis of happiness and corporate tax avoidance”. Economic Letters, 235,111567.
  • Bruni, L. & Stanca, L., (2008). “Watching alone: Relational goods, television, and happiness”. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 65, 506–528.
  • Ciziceno, M., & Pizzuto, P. (2022). “Life satisfaction and tax morale: The role of trust in government and cultural orientation”. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 97, 101824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2021.101824
  • Çelebi, K., Miynat, M., Canbay, T., Bulut, Z. A., Özcan, P. M. & Tunçay, B. (2017). “Üniversite öğrencilerinin vergi bilinci ve vergi algılarının ölçülmesine yönelik ampirik bir araştırma: Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Örneği”. Manisa Calal Bayar Üniversitesi Yayınları, Yayın No: 36, Manisa.
  • Corzo T., Hernan, R. & Pedrosa, G., (2024). “Behavioral finance in a hundred keywords”, Heliyon, 10,e35979.
  • Doğan, T. & Sapmaz, F. (2012). “Oxford Mutluluk Ölçeği Türkçe Formunun psikometrik özelliklerinin üniversite öğrencilerinde incelenmesi”. Düşünen Adam Psikiyatri ve Nörolojik Bilimler Dergisi, 25: 297-304.
  • Dogan, B.S. & Secilmis, İ.E. (2020). “The evolution of tax morale in Türkiye”. Journal of Economy Culture and Society, 62, 145-166.
  • Eralp A., Şahin, S. & Çağdaş, Y. (2020) “Vergi Yükü ve Mutluluk İlişkisi Mekansal Ekonometrik Modellerle Analizi”, Uluslararası Yönetim İktisat ve İşletme Dergisi, Cilt 16, Sayı 4, 870-890.
  • Frey, B.S. & Stutzer, A., (2000). “Happiness, economy, and institutions”. Economic Journal 110, 918–938.
  • Harbaugh, W.T., Mayr, U. & Burghart, D.R. (2007). “Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations”. Science, 316, 1622–1625.
  • Hopfensitz, A. & Reuben, E. (2009). “The importance of emotions for the effectiveness of social punishment”. Econ. J., 119 (540), 1534–1559, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2009.02288.x
  • Hills, P. & Argyle, M. (2002). “The Oxford happiness questionnaire: a compact scale for measuring psychological well-being”. Pers Individ Diff 2002; 33:1073-1082.
  • Khadjavi, M. (2015). “On the interaction of deterrence and emotions”. J. LawEcon. Organ. 31 (3), 287–319, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jleo/ewu012.
  • Kirchler, R. & Wahl, I., (2010). “Tax Compliance Inventory: Tax –I Voluntary Tax Compliance, Enforced Tax Compliance, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion”. J Econ Psychol, June 31 (3), 1-21.
  • Kirchler, E. (1997). “The burden of new taxes: Acceptance of taxes as a function of effectiveness and egoistic versus altruistic orientation”. Journal of Socio-Economics, 26, 421–436.
  • Kirchler, E. (1999). “Reactance to taxation: Employers’ attitudes towards taxes”. Journal of Socio-Economics, 28 (2), 131-138.
  • Kirchler, E., Hoelzl, E. & Wahl, I. (2008). “Enforced versus voluntary tax compliance: the ‘slippery slope’ framework”. J. Econ. Psychol. 29, 210–225, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.05.004.
  • Kitapçı, İ. (2015). Vergi Etiği Vergi Psikolojisi, Seçkin Kitapevi, Ankara.
  • Lubian, D. & Zarri, L. (2011). “Happiness and Tax Morale: An Empirical Analysis”. J. Econ. Behav. Organ. 80 (1), 223–243.
  • Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). “The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success?”. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803-855.
  • Magen, Z., & Aharoni, R. (1991). “Adolescents’ contributing toward others: Relationship to positive experiences and transpersonal commitment”. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 31, 126–143.
  • Nadirov O., Aliyev, K., Dehning, B., Sharifzada & Aliyeva, R. (2021). “Life Satisfaction and Tax Morale in Azerbaijan: Mediating Role of Institutional Trust and Financial Satisfaction”. Sustainability, 13(21), 12228.
  • Olsen, J., Kasper, M., Enachescu, J., Benk, S. & Budak, T. (2018). “Emotions and tax compliance among small business owners: An experimental survey”. International Review of Law and Economics, 56, 42-52.
  • Sá, C., Martins, A., & Gomes, C. (2015). “Tax morale determinants in Portugal”. European Scientific Journal, 11(10), 236.
  • Scholz, J. T. & Lubell, M. (1998).“Adaptive Political Attitudes: Duty, Trust, and Fear as Monitors of Tax Policy,”. American Journal of Political Science, 42(3), 903-920.
  • Song, Y. D. & Yarbrough, T. E. (1978). “Tax Ethics and Taxpayer Attitudes: A Survey”. Public Administration Review, 38, 442–452.
  • Sekaran, U. (1992). Social Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, Wiley.
  • Şeker M. (2009). “Mutluluk Ekonomisi”. Istanbul Journal of Sociological Studies, Issue: 39, 115-140.
  • Tekeli, R. (2011). “The Determinants of Tax Morale: the Effects of Cultural Differences and Politics”. PRI Discussion Paper Series, No. 11A-1. Retrieved from https://www.mof.go.jp/pri/international_exchange/visiting_scholar_program/ws2011_d.pdf
  • Tjondro, E. (2018). “Individual Satisfaction and Tax Morale: The Perspective of Different Professions in Indonesia”. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 8 (2), 14–37. ISSN 2161-7104.
  • Torgler, B. (2003). “Tax Morale and Institutions”. Center for Research in Economics, Management and Arts, Working Paper No. 2003.
  • Torgler, B. (2004). “Tax morale in Asian countries”. Journal of Asian Economics, 15, 237–266.
  • Torgler, B. (2005). “Tax morale in Latin America”. Public Choice, 122 (1-2), 133–157.
  • Tov, W. & Diener, E. (2009). “The Well-Being of Nations: Linking Together Trust, Cooperation, and Democracy”. In: Diener E. (eds) The Science of Well-Being. Social Indicators Research Series, Vol 37. Springer, Dordrecht.
  • Triandis, H. C. (1996). “The psychological measurement of cultural syndromes”. American Psychologist, 51(4), 407-415.
  • Verme, P. (2009). “Happiness, freedom, and control”. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 71, 146–161.
  • Weisbach, D. A. (2007). “What does happiness Research Tell Us about Taxation?” (John M. Olin Program in Law and Economics Working Paper No. 342, 2007).
There are 40 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Public Finance, Theory of Treasury
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Işıl Ayas 0000-0002-5441-006X

Publication Date June 30, 2025
Submission Date November 16, 2024
Acceptance Date April 24, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 10 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Ayas, I. (2025). Tax Morale and Happiness: Evidence From Türkiye. International Journal of Public Finance, 10(1), 21-36. https://doi.org/10.30927/ijpf.1586469

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