The forthcoming article “Seeing like a citizen: Experimental evidence on how empowerment affects engagement with the state” by Soeren J. Henn, Laura Paler, Wilson Prichard, Cyrus Samii, and Raúl Sánchez de la Sierra is summarized by the author(s) below.
Our study from the Democratic Republic of Congo reveals a counterintuitive truth: when citizens are empowered to stand up to corrupt officials, they actually end up paying more taxes and fees to the government—not less.
We worked with households and small businesses in Kinshasa to test two approaches to citizen empowerment. Some received weekly phone consultations providing information about what they legally owed for various government services. Others were connected to a powerful civil society organization that could advocate on their behalf against predatory officials demanding bribes.
The results challenge conventional wisdom. Rather than using this newfound power to avoid the state entirely, empowered citizens—particularly those with protection—increased their formal payments to the government by about one-third. They started paying for services they had previously avoided, like electricity connections and business licenses.
Why would protection from corruption lead to more government payments? The answer lies in understanding the vicious cycle many developing countries face. When citizens expect to be shaken down for bribes, they avoid government services altogether. They stay in the shadows, foregoing benefits like legal protections, official documents, and public services. This creates what researchers call a “low revenue, low engagement equilibrium”—the state collects little revenue and provides few services, while citizens remain disconnected and vulnerable.
By reducing the threat of extortion, the protection intervention made citizens more willing to engage with the state formally. They could access government services without fear of unlimited informal demands. The intervention was especially effective for households and for services that were highly negotiable or uncertain in price.
This research offers hope for breaking the cycle of weak states and disengaged citizens. It suggests that strengthening civil society and empowering citizens doesn’t undermine government revenue—it can actually enhance it by bringing more people into the formal system. The path to stronger, more accountable government may start with ensuring citizens can engage with the state on fair terms.
About the Author(s): Soeren J. Hennan is an Assistant Professor in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Laura Paler is a Provost Associate Professor in the Department of Government at American University’s School of Public Affairs, Wilson Prichard is an Associate Professor of Global Affairs and Political Science at the University of Toronto, Cyrus Samii is a Professor of Politics at New York University, and Raúl Sánchez de la Sierra is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Their research “Seeing like a citizen: Experimental evidence on how empowerment affects engagement with the state” is now available in Early View and will appear in a forthcoming issue of the American Journal of Political Science.
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