Alex Tabarrok links to this story about the opening of Norwegian tax records:
In the database of national broadcaster NRK, you can type a subject’s name, hit search and within moments get information on what that person made last year, what was paid in taxes and total wealth
Alex ponders various plausible economics dissertations. But what about political science? For example, we know very little how wealth (as opposed to income) influences political behavior. It’s also a rich source for anyone interested in the politics of inequality. Consider how the decision to open the records came about:
The information had been available to media until 2004, when a more conservative government banned the publication of tax records. Three years later, a new, more liberal government reversed the legislation and also made it possible for media to obtain tax information digitally and disseminate it online.
Does the new government think this is going to help them by making inequality a more salient issue? Any way to find out if they are right? Any other ideas?