Using data collected during several missions, Zafar finds that the principal reasons for low revenue mobilization are (1) the adverse fiscal impact of trade liberalization, (2) the defiscalization of agriculture in the 1970s, (3) the collapse of the uranium boom in the 1980s, and (4) the poor...

Governments collect revenues mainly for two purposes: to finance the goods and services they provide to citizens and businesses, and to fulfil their redistributive role. Comparing levels of government revenues across countries provides an indication of the importance of the government sector in...