Financing the State: Government Tax Revenue from 1800 to 2012

Data source: Andersson and Brambor

The 'Financing the State: Government Tax Revenue from 1800 to 2012' dataset provides information on the size and composition of government tax revenues for 31 countries in Europe and the Americas for the period from 1800 (or independence) to 2012.

It provides a comprehensive picture of the sources of government funding starting with the establishment or independence of modern nation states in the early 19th century. The original dataset contains further information on sub-categories of direct and indirect taxes, such as revenues received through property, income, excise, consumption and custom taxes.

Dataset type
Time-Series
Dataset level
Country
Last updated by source
2025-03-26

Citation

When using this dataset, please cite as:

• Andersson, Per F. and Thomas Brambor. (2019). Financing the state: Government tax revenue from 1800 to 2012. Version 2.0. Lund: Lund University. https://www.perfandersson.com/data

Variables in this dataset

Browse variables and select them for download.

Share Direct Taxes
QoG code: gtr_centaxdir

Share of total central government tax revenue from direct taxes. A direct tax is imposed directly upon an individual person (legal or natural) or property, in contrast to a tax imposed upon a transact ...

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Share Direct Taxes in 1800
QoG code: gtr_centaxdir1800

Share of total central government tax revenue from direct taxes, in the year 1800. A direct tax is imposed directly upon an individual person (legal or natural) or property, in contrast to a tax impos ...

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Share Direct Taxes in 1850
QoG code: gtr_centaxdir1850

Share of total central government tax revenue from direct taxes, in the year 1850. A direct tax is imposed directly upon an individual person (legal or natural) or property, in contrast to a tax impos ...

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Share Direct Taxes in 1900
QoG code: gtr_centaxdir1900

Share of total central government tax revenue from direct taxes, in the year 1900. A direct tax is imposed directly upon an individual person (legal or natural) or property, in contrast to a tax impos ...

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Share Government Revenue of GDP
QoG code: gtr_centaxgdp

Total central government tax revenue as a share of GDP.

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Share Government Revenue of GDP in 1800
QoG code: gtr_centaxgdp1800

Total central government tax revenue as a share of GDP, in the year 1800.

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Share Government Revenue of GDP in 1850
QoG code: gtr_centaxgdp1850

Total central government tax revenue as a share of GDP, in the year 1850.

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Share Government Revenue of GDP in 1900
QoG code: gtr_centaxgdp1900

Total central government tax revenue as a share of GDP, in the year 1900.

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Share Indirect Taxes
QoG code: gtr_centaxind

Share of total central government tax revenue from property taxes, most importantly levies on land and real estate. These include (i) recurrent taxes on immovable property, (ii) recurrent taxes on net ...

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Share Indirect Taxes in 1800
QoG code: gtr_centaxind1800

Share of total central government tax revenue from property taxes, most importantly levies on land and real estate, in the year 1800. These include (i) recurrent taxes on immovable property, (ii) recu ...

View variable
Share Indirect Taxes in 1850
QoG code: gtr_centaxind1850

Share of total central government tax revenue from property taxes, most importantly levies on land and real estate , in the year 1850. These include (i) recurrent taxes on immovable property, (ii) rec ...

View variable
Share Indirect Taxes in 1900
QoG code: gtr_centaxind1900

Share of total central government tax revenue from property taxes, most importantly levies on land and real estate, in the year 1900. These include (i) recurrent taxes on immovable property, (ii) recu ...

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Total central government tax revenue (in millions of local currency). Taxes are defined as compulsory and unrequited levies by the government, following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and ...

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Total central government tax revenue (in millions of local currency), in the year 1800. Taxes are defined as compulsory and unrequited levies by the government, following the Organisation for Economic ...

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Total central government tax revenue (in millions of local currency), in the year 1850. Taxes are defined as compulsory and unrequited levies by the government, following the Organisation for Economic ...

View variable

Total central government tax revenue (in millions of local currency), in the year 1900. Taxes are defined as compulsory and unrequited levies by the government, following the Organisation for Economic ...

View variable