IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/bwp/bwppap/16912.html

Squeezing the state: tariff revenue, state capacity and the WTO’s Doha Round

Author

Listed:
  • James Scott

Abstract

Tax revenue forms a critical element of state capacity, in turn underpinning the state’s ability to foster inclusive economic growth. This paper calculates the impact of the WTO’s Doha Round on tariff revenues among low-income countries. It finds that some, though not all, are severely affected, losing up to 17 percent of total government tax revenue. In addition, the tariff cuts are found to be regressive, primarily affecting luxury items, such as motor vehicles. Finally, the paper analyses the effectiveness of the mechanism included in the Doha Round to overcome lost tariff revenue, namely aid for trade.

Suggested Citation

  • James Scott, 2012. "Squeezing the state: tariff revenue, state capacity and the WTO’s Doha Round," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 16912, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    • Handle: RePEc:bwp:bwppap:16912
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hummedia.manchester.ac.uk/institutes/gdi/publications/workingpapers/bwpi/bwpi-wp-16912.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matthias vom Hau, 2012. "State capacity and inclusive development: new challenges and directions," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-002-12, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    2. repec:bla:devpol:v:25:y:2007:i:5:p:615-632 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Mr. Ke-young Chu & Mr. Hamid R Davoodi & Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," IMF Working Papers 2000/062, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Bresser Pereira,Luiz Carlos, 2010. "Globalization and Competition," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521144537, August.
    5. Kym Anderson & Will Martin & Dominique van der Mensbrugghe, 2006. "Doha Merchandise Trade Reform: What Is at Stake for Developing Countries?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 20(2), pages 169-195.
    6. Emran, M. Shahe & Stiglitz, Joseph E., 2005. "On selective indirect tax reform in developing countries," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(4), pages 599-623, April.
    7. Ke-Young Chu & Hamid Davoodi & Sanjeev Gupta, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2000-214, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Frank Ackerman & Kevin Gallagher, 2008. "The Shrinking Gains from Global Trade Liberalization in Computable General Equilibrium Models: A Critical Assessment," International Journal of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 50-77.
    9. Thomas W. Hertel & L. Alan Winters, 2006. "Poverty and the WTO : Impacts of the Doha Development Agenda," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7411, April.
    10. Mark Langan & James Scott, 2011. "The false promise of Aid for Trade," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 16011, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    11. Joshua Aizenman & Yothin Jinjarak, 2008. "The collection efficiency of the Value Added Tax: Theory and international evidence," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 391-410.
    12. Sebastian Hess & Stephan Von Cramon‐Taubadel, 2008. "A Meta‐Analysis of General and Partial Equilibrium Simulations of Trade Liberalisation under the Doha Development Agenda," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 804-840, June.
    13. Khattry, Barsha & Mohan Rao, J., 2002. "Fiscal Faux Pas?: An Analysis of the Revenue Implications of Trade Liberalization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1431-1444, August.
    14. Chu, Ke-Young & Davoodi, Hamid & Gupta, Sanjeev, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," WIDER Working Papers 295547, United Nations University, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. repec:bla:devpol:v:23:y:2005:i:2:p:131-144 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Ernesto Valenzuela & Kym Anderson & Thomas Hertel, 2008. "Impacts of trade reform: sensitivity of model results to key assumptions," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 395-420, February.
    17. Przemyslaw Kowalski, 2005. "Impact of Changes in Tariffs on Developing Countries' Government Revenue," OECD Trade Policy Papers 18, OECD Publishing.
    18. Will Martin & Kym Anderson, 2006. "Agricultural Trade Reform and the Doha Development Agenda," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6889, April.
    19. Bresser Pereira,Luiz Carlos, 2010. "Globalization and Competition," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521196352, August.
    20. Tehmina S. Khan & Mr. John Norregaard, 2007. "Tax Policy: Recent Trends and Coming Challenges," IMF Working Papers 2007/274, International Monetary Fund.
    21. Keen, Michael & Ligthart, Jenny E., 2002. "Coordinating tariff reduction and domestic tax reform," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 489-507, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Richard M. Bird, 2008. "Tax Challenges Facing Developing Countries," Working Papers id:1618, eSocialSciences.
    2. James Scott & Rorden Wilkinson, 2012. "Changing of the guard: expert knowledge and ‘common sense’ in the Doha Development Agenda," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 16612, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    3. Kalle Hirvonen & Giulia Mascagni & Keetie Roelen, 2018. "Linking taxation and social protection: Evidence on redistribution and poverty reduction in Ethiopia," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(1), pages 3-24, January.
    4. Kalle Hirvonen & Giulia Mascagni & Keetie Roelen, 2018. "Linking taxation and social protection: Evidence on redistribution and poverty reduction in Ethiopia," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(1), pages 3-24, January.
    5. Richard M. Bird, 2008. "The BBLR Approach to tax Reform in Emerging Countries," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0804, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    6. Kodjo Adandohoin & Vigninou Gammadigbe, 2022. "The revenue efficiency consequences of the announcement of a tax transition reform: The case of WAEMU countries," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 34(S1), pages 195-218, July.
    7. Palić Irena & Hodžić Sabina & Dumičić Ksenija, 2019. "Personal Income Taxation Determinants in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 10(1), pages 153-163, April.
    8. Cont, Walter & Porto, Alberto, 2014. "Personal and regional redistribution through public finance in a federal setting," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 563-578.
    9. Tabi Atemnkeng Johannes & Tafah Akwi & Peter Etoh Anzah, 2006. "The Distributive Impact of Fiscal Policy in Cameroon: Tax and Benefit Incidence," Working Papers PMMA 2006-16, PEP-PMMA.
    10. Andy McKay, 2002. "Assessing the Impact of Fiscal Policy on Poverty," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2002-43, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Will Martin & Kym Anderson, 2007. "The Doha agenda and agricultural trade reform: the role of economic analysis," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 37(s1), pages 77-87, December.
    12. Bird, Richard M. & Zolt, Eric M., 2011. "Dual Income Taxation: A Promising Path to Tax Reform for Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 1691-1703.
    13. Christian EBEKE & Hélène EHRHART, 2011. "Does VAT reduce the instability of tax revenues?," Working Papers 201124, CERDI.
    14. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2001. "The Impact of Budgets on the Poor: Tax and Benefit," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0110, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    15. Dodlova, Marina & Giolbas, Anna, 2015. "Regime Type, Inequality, and Redistributive Transfers in Developing Countries," GIGA Working Papers 273, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    16. Lopez, Ramon, 2005. "Why governments should stopnon-social subsidies : measuring their consequences for rural Latin America," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3609, The World Bank.
    17. Dossè M. Djahini-afawoubo, 2016. "Public spending on education in Togo: Does the poor benefit?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 36(4), pages 2137-2147.
    18. Djeneba Doumbia & Mr. Tidiane Kinda, 2019. "Reallocating Public Spending to Reduce Income Inequality: Can It Work?," IMF Working Papers 2019/188, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Osvaldo Nina & Esteban Nina, 2004. "El Efecto Redistributivo de los Impuestos y del Gasto Social Corriente en Bolivia," Development Research Working Paper Series 05/2004, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    20. Sandra Martinez-Aguilar & Alan Fuchs & Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez & Giselle Del Carmen, 2017. "The Impact of Fiscal Policy on Inequality and Poverty in Chile," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 1346, Tulane University, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bwp:bwppap:16912. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Rowena Harding (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/wpmanuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.