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Fiscal Capacity and the Quality of Government in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Baskaran, Thushyanthan
  • Bigsten, Arne
Abstract
Historical evidence from the industrialized world suggests that the expansion of the modern state’s capacity to tax eventually led to more democratic and less corrupt governments. Using a dataset that covers 31 sub-Saharan African countries over the 1990–2005 period, we study whether the positive effect of fiscal capacity on the quality of government prevails in contemporaneous sub-Saharan Africa as well. The results provide consistent evidence that within sub-Saharan Africa, fiscal capacity decreases corruption and increases democracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Baskaran, Thushyanthan & Bigsten, Arne, 2013. "Fiscal Capacity and the Quality of Government in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 92-107.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:45:y:2013:i:c:p:92-107
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.09.018
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    6. Tony Addison & Miguel Niño†Zarazúa & Jukka Pirttilä, 2018. "Fiscal Policy, State Building and Economic Development," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 161-172, March.
    7. Bernadette O'Hare & Steve G. Hall, 2022. "The Impact of Government Revenue on the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Amplification Potential of Good Governance," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 14(2), pages 109-129, June.
    8. Ane Karoline Bak & Matilde Jeppesen & Anne Mette Kjær, 2021. "Fiscal states in sub-Saharan Africa: conceptualization and empirical trends," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-182, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Apeti, Ablam Estel & Edoh, Eyah Denise, 2023. "Tax revenue and mobile money in developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    10. Ofori, Isaac Kwesi & Obeng, Camara Kwasi & Mwinlaaru, Yeltulme Pter, 2021. "Effect of Exchange Rate Volatility on Tax Revenue Performance In Sub-Saharan Africa," EconStor Preprints 233955, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    11. Andersson, Jens & Lazuka, Volha, 2019. "Long-term drivers of taxation in francophone West Africa 1893–2010," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 294-313.
    12. von Haldenwang, Christian, 2020. "Digitalising the fiscal contract: An interdisciplinary framework for empirical inquiry," IDOS Discussion Papers 20/2020, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    13. Broadberry, Stephen & Gardner, Leigh, 2014. "African economic growth in a European mirror: a historical perspective," Economic History Working Papers 56493, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    14. Abel Gwaindepi, 2021. "Domestic revenue mobilisation in developing countries: An exploratory analysis of sub‐Saharan Africa and Latin America," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 396-421, March.
    15. Nouha Bougharriou & Walid Benayed & Foued Badr Gabsi, 2021. "Under Which Condition Does the Democratization of the Arab World Improve FDI?," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 63(2), pages 224-248, June.
    16. Ali, Merima & Fjeldstad, Odd-Helge & Sjursen, Ingrid Hoem, 2014. "To Pay or Not to Pay? Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Taxation in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 828-842.
    17. Tony Addison & Miguel Niño†Zarazúa & Jukka Pirttilä, 2018. "Fiscal Policy, State Building and Economic Development," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 161-172, March.
    18. Bougharriou, Nouha & Benayed, Walid & Gabsi, Foued Badr, 2022. "Democratic transition and fiscal policy in the Arab world," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    19. Patricia Gómez-González, 2015. "Financial innovation in sovereign borrowing and public provision of liquidity," Working Papers 1511, Banco de España.
    20. Dramane, Abdoulaye, 2022. "Tax Revenues Effects of Corruption and Governance in WAEMU Countries," Journal of Economic Development, The Economic Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, vol. 47(4), pages 143-164, December.
    21. Wirginia Doryñ & Micha³ Mackiewicz & Dorota Wawrzyniak, 2018. "The Role of Institutions in Determining the Cyclical Behavior of Fiscal Policy," Lodz Economics Working Papers 2/2018, University of Lodz, Faculty of Economics and Sociology.
    22. Nurullah Gur, 2014. "Taxation and democracy: an instrumental variable approach," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(11), pages 763-766, July.
    23. Broms, Rasmus, 2017. "Colonial Revenue Extraction and Modern Day Government Quality in the British Empire," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 269-280.
    24. Berliner, Daniel & Greenleaf, Anne & Lake, Milli & Noveck, Jennifer, 2015. "Building Capacity, Building Rights? State Capacity and Labor Rights in Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 127-139.
    25. Prichard, Wilson & Salardi, Paola & Segal, Paul, 2018. "Taxation, non-tax revenue and democracy: New evidence using new cross-country data," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 295-312.

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