Fear Tax: How Institutional Failures Shape Governance

Former Haryana DGP O P Singh's new book, 'Fear Tax: When Caution Costs More Than Corruption', examines how institutional failures accumulate into anti-incumbency. Singh uses real cases to illustrate 'fear tax,' proposing five measurement instruments to track its effects, aiming to guide governments in reducing these hidden societal costs.

In 'Fear Tax: When Caution Costs More Than Corruption', former Haryana DGP O P Singh examines how small institutional failures aggregate into large-scale governmental changes. Singh utilizes his extensive experience, illustrating how fear within institutions burdens citizens, creating hidden costs he terms the 'fear tax.'

Singh presents real-life cases to demonstrate the detrimental effects of the 'fear tax.' He recounts how a cobbler's family struggled for compensation due to bureaucratic inertia after a car accident, until Singh personally intervened. Similarly, by quickly supporting a young athlete, Singh highlights how prompt decisions can positively impact lives.

The book urges governments to measure and reduce the 'fear tax' through a 'fear score' system, assessing factors like rule age and informal solutions. Singh suggests reforms to protect officers making good-faith decisions and advocates treating non-delivery as seriously as corruption, aiming to mitigate these hidden societal burdens.

(With inputs from agencies.)