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Does conditionality in IMF-supported programs promote revenue reform?

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  • Ernesto Crivelli
  • Sanjeev Gupta

Abstract

This paper studies whether revenue conditionality in Fund-supported programs had any impact on the revenue performance of 126 low- and middle-income countries during 1993-2013. The results indicate that such conditionality had a positive impact on tax revenue, with strongest improvement felt on taxes on goods and services, including the VAT. Revenue conditionality matters more for low-income countries, particularly those where revenue ratios are below the group average. Moreover, revenue conditionality appears to be more effective when targeted to a specific tax. These results hold after controlling for potential endogeneity, sample selection bias, and when revenues are adjusted for economic cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Ernesto Crivelli & Sanjeev Gupta, 2014. "Does conditionality in IMF-supported programs promote revenue reform?," IMF Working Papers 14/206, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:14/206
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Guimarães, Bernardo de Vasconcellos & Ladeira, Carlos Eduardo de Almeida, 2015. "The determinants of IMF fiscal conditionalities: economics or politics?," Textos para discussão 391, FGV/EESP - Escola de Economia de São Paulo, Getulio Vargas Foundation (Brazil).
    2. Djedje Hermann YOHOU & Michaël GOUJON, 2017. "Reassessing Tax Effort in Developing Countries: a Proposal of a Vulnerability-Adjusted Tax Effort Index (VATEI)," Working Papers P186, FERDI.
    3. Stubbs, Thomas & Kentikelenis, Alexander & Stuckler, David & McKee, Martin & King, Lawrence, 2017. "The impact of IMF conditionality on government health expenditure: A cross-national analysis of 16 West African nations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 220-227.
    4. Abrams M.E. Tagem, 2017. "The economics and politics of foreign aid and domestic revenue," WIDER Working Paper Series 180, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Roel Dom, 2017. "Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa: Silver Bullet or White Elephant," Discussion Papers 2017-01, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    6. repec:taf:jdevst:v:53:y:2017:i:7:p:1057-1074 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. repec:eee:wdevel:v:108:y:2018:i:c:p:197-218 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Irina Andone & Beatrice D. Scheubel, 2017. "Memorable Encounters? Own and Neighbours' Experience with IMF Conditionality and IMF Stigma," CESifo Working Paper Series 6399, CESifo Group Munich.
    9. Ernesto Crivelli & Sanjeev Gupta, 2017. "Does Conditionality Mitigate the Potential Negative Effect of Aid on Revenues?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(7), pages 1057-1074, July.
    10. repec:taf:pocoec:v:28:y:2016:i:4:p:468-486 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Nicola Limodio & Francesco Strobbe, 2018. "Financial Regulation and Government Revenue: The Effects of a Policy Change in Ethiopia," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1880, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Conditionality; Revenue administration; Low-income developing countries; Fund-supported adjustment programs; Tax collection; Tax reforms; Tax revenues; Tax revenue; structural conditionality; revenue; tax; taxes; revenues; goods; Models with Panel Data; International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions; General;

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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