Civic norms are deteriorating in most democratic societies, raising fundamental challenges for the sustainability of the welfare state. This paper investigates whether civic values can be effectively instilled through early educational interventions. I study the Tax and School program, a nationwide initiative jointly implemented by the Italian Revenue Agency and the Ministry of Education to promote ethical behavior and civic responsibility among young students. Using administrative data on the universe of students and variation across municipalities in program adoption, I find that the intervention significantly reduces opportunistic and antisocial conduct. In the long run, treated municipalities exhibit higher electoral turnout, indicating a sustained increase in civic participation. These results highlight the potential of civic education programs to strengthen prosocial behavior and nurture a stronger civic culture from an early age.
Presented by:
Enrico Rubolino (University of Lausanne)
Date & time:
June 25, 2025 12:30 pm - June 25, 2025 1:30 pm
Venue:
2N2.4.16
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