Public Support for Wealth and Progressive Taxes in Pakistan

Wealth taxes have become increasingly central in global debates about equitable taxation, particularly in the context of growing fiscal pressures, decreasing aid, and rising inequality. However, there is surprisingly little data on the nature and determinants of public support for these taxes in lower income countries, despite the importance of popular support to overcoming elite resistance. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 7,500 individuals, this brief explores public support for wealth taxation and the factors that shape those attitudes in Pakistan. Three key findings emerge. First, support for wealth taxation is higher than may be commonly assumed, though highly dependent on the type of tax, with especially strong support for proposals to make income taxes more progressive. Second, support is not driven by self-interest: higher income individuals are in fact more supportive of wealth taxes. Instead, it is shaped by trust in the state and perceptions of its legitimacy. Third, wealth tax proposals that are clearly progressive, transparent, and include mechanisms for citizen input and earmarking enjoy significantly greater popular support. These findings offer practical insights into how tax policy can be designed and communicated to build political space for progressive tax reforms in Pakistan and other lower income contexts.