The table illustrates the proportion of tax revenue as a percentage of GDP in five countries – Sweden, the USA, Korea, Japan, and Turkey – across four selected years between 1975 and 2005.
Overall, tax collection rose in all five nations over the period, although the rate and magnitude of growth varied markedly. Sweden consistently reported the highest levels and experienced a striking surge, whereas the USA showed only modest increases. The Asian countries and Turkey also witnessed notable upward trends, albeit with occasional fluctuations.
In 1975, Sweden already levied a substantial 46% of its GDP in taxes, far surpassing the other countries. This proportion climbed steadily to 51% by 1995 before soaring sharply to 70.1% in 2005, positioning Sweden as a clear outlier. By contrast, the USA maintained relatively stable levels throughout the period, rising marginally from 25.1% to 27.4%.
Korea, Japan, and Turkey began with considerably lower tax ratios, all below 17% in 1975. Korea saw a rapid increase to 27% in 1985, followed by a slight decline to 26% in 1995, before recovering to 27.3% in 2005. Japan demonstrated a steady, uninterrupted upward trajectory, more than doubling its tax-to-GDP ratio from 15% to 32.1% over the three decades. Turkey, despite a minor dip in 1985, also experienced substantial growth, reaching 27.4% in 2005.