Comparative Politics Workshop and CLALS hosts Gabriel Ondetti, Professor of Political Science, Missouri State University

Threats to Private Property and the Development of Tax Systems in Latin America

Tax revenues have generally risen robustly across Latin America in recent decades, casting doubt on the region’s reputation for having states too poor to finance economic and social development. However, dramatic differences persist in the magnitude of national tax burdens and public sector size, even among seemingly similar countries. Based on my recent book Property Threats and the Politics of Anti-Statism: The Historical Roots of Contemporary Tax Systems in Latin America, this talk will examine the causes of this variation, emphasizing the lasting impact of historical episodes of redistributive reform that threatened property rights. Ironically, where such episodes were most extensive, they hindered future taxation by prompting economic elites and social conservatives to mobilize politically against state intervention, forming peak business associations, rightist parties, and other formal and informal organizations that have proven to be remarkably enduring. The talk will develop this argument theoretically and illustrate it with reference to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. It will close with a brief overview of how I am currently extending this project to further explore the determinants and implications of public sector size in Latin America.