Study title

The aim of this survey was to shed light on the Swedish people´s attitudes towards their taxes. To be able to make a special study of self-employed, particularly in questions concerning tax evasion, this group was over-represented in the sample. The study was carried out as a face to face interview where the interviewer, after concluding the interview, left a supplementary questionnaire to be filled in and returned by the respondent. The interview contained questions on attitude toward the annual obligation to file a tax return, interest in taxation matters, discussions concerning tax regulations, opinion of the general level of taxes, and the use of tax money. The respondent had to state for what purpose the amount of tax money should be increased, kept unchanged, and reduced respectively. For a number of opinions on Swedish taxation policy the respondents had to state if they agreed or not. The respondents also had to state the kind of tax system preferred; taxes to decrease and increase respectively; attitudes toward campaigns for lowering the taxes; and if there ought to be a referendum on the size of the taxes. A number of questions concerned tax evasion, untrue tax return, and black-marketer. For a number of different crimes the respondents had to state how serious they considered them to be. Other questions dealt with the respondent´s knowledge of tax return legislations, of the level of taxes and dues, and of possibilities to influence the decisions of tax authorities, interest in politics, political preference and attitudes toward a number of opinions occurring in the political debate. Background information include occupation, share holding, education, marital status, children living at home, housing, and place of living. Purpose: Shed light on the Swedish people´s attitudes towards their taxes