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The Poles, Czechs and Hungarians on Taxes
September 1999 › Excerpt from “Central European Public Opinion”, a special issue of “Polish Public Opinion”, created and published by CBOS Among residents of the three countries, Poles are the most convinced that the taxes in their country are too high. Most of them believe that taxes should be decreased, even if public expenditure had to be limited as a result. Hungarians opt for lowering taxes rather than maintaining their current level, too. On the contrary, in the Czech Republic most respondents accept the current tax level, and those who would like taxes to be decreased are in a minority. THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE STATE DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF TAXES COLLECTED. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN THIS RESPECT: In all three countries, respondents believe that their tax systems tolerate too large differences between the incomes of individual citizens. Those who earn the most do not pay enough tax, while those with the lowest incomes pay too much. Obviously, a low level of tolerance to differences in income may be associated with rather strong egalitarian tendencies in this respect, which are characteristic of most societies that have experience of living in a socialist economy. In all three countries, the respondents’ views are the most consistent as far as taxes paid by people with low incomes are concerned. The vast majority believe that they are too high. The Poles are most convinced. As many as 91% of them believe that people with low incomes pay too much tax. Hungarians have a similar opinion on taxes paid by the poorest residents of their country (80%). The Czech are less convinced – 63% share this view. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF TAXES PAID BY PEOPLE WITH HIGH, AVERAGE AND LOW INCOME? IS IT TOO HIGH, MORE OR LESS RIGHT OR TOO LOW? The current level of taxes paid by people with high income is The opinion on taxes paid by the richest people is a little more divided, although in all three countries over half of the respondents believe that they are too low. The Hungarians are more convinced about it (59%) than the Poles (53%) and the Czechs (52%). The opinion of Poles in this respect is the most divided – one quarter of respondents believe that the level of taxes paid by the richest Poles is just right, and one in eight think that it is even too high. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PEOPLE HIDING A PART OF THEIR SALARY IN ORDER TO DECREASE INCOME TAX? SHOULD SUCH BEHAVIOUR: Taxpayers behave in a similar way everywhere. They try to reduce the amount of tax paid as much as possible, not always using legal methods. The simplest method of tax evasion is hiding part of one’s income. In all countries that took part in our survey, most respondents regard such behaviour as blameworthy and treat it as cheating the state. The Czechs disapprove of such behaviour the most. In contrast, Hungarians seem the most tolerant to such acts, as two fifths of them expressed the opinion that such behaviour should be forgiven, because taxes are generally too high.

The Poles, Czechs and Hungarians on Taxes

September 1999

› Excerpt from “Central European Public Opinion”, a special issue of “Polish Public Opinion”, created and published by CBOS

Among residents of the three countries, Poles are the most convinced that the taxes in their country are too high. Most of them believe that taxes should be decreased, even if public expenditure had to be limited as a result. Hungarians opt for lowering taxes rather than maintaining their current level, too. On the contrary, in the Czech Republic most respondents accept the current tax level, and those who would like taxes to be decreased are in a minority.

THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE STATE DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF TAXES COLLECTED. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN THIS RESPECT:

In all three countries, respondents believe that their tax systems tolerate too large differences between the incomes of individual citizens. Those who earn the most do not pay enough tax, while those with the lowest incomes pay too much. Obviously, a low level of tolerance to differences in income may be associated with rather strong egalitarian tendencies in this respect, which are characteristic of most societies that have experience of living in a socialist economy.

In all three countries, the respondents’ views are the most consistent as far as taxes paid by people with low incomes are concerned. The vast majority believe that they are too high. The Poles are most convinced. As many as 91% of them believe that people with low incomes pay too much tax. Hungarians have a similar opinion on taxes paid by the poorest residents of their country (80%). The Czech are less convinced – 63% share this view.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF TAXES PAID BY PEOPLE WITH HIGH, AVERAGE AND LOW INCOME? IS IT TOO HIGH, MORE OR LESS RIGHT OR TOO LOW?

The current level of taxes paid by people with high income is

The opinion on taxes paid by the richest people is a little more divided, although in all three countries over half of the respondents believe that they are too low. The Hungarians are more convinced about it (59%) than the Poles (53%) and the Czechs (52%). The opinion of Poles in this respect is the most divided – one quarter of respondents believe that the level of taxes paid by the richest Poles is just right, and one in eight think that it is even too high.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PEOPLE HIDING A PART OF THEIR SALARY IN ORDER TO DECREASE INCOME TAX? SHOULD SUCH BEHAVIOUR:

Taxpayers behave in a similar way everywhere. They try to reduce the amount of tax paid as much as possible, not always using legal methods. The simplest method of tax evasion is hiding part of one’s income. In all countries that took part in our survey, most respondents regard such behaviour as blameworthy and treat it as cheating the state. The Czechs disapprove of such behaviour the most. In contrast, Hungarians seem the most tolerant to such acts, as two fifths of them expressed the opinion that such behaviour should be forgiven, because taxes are generally too high.