This book was prepared mainly for specialists on the assumption that it would provide the background to an important neglected field of discussion in public finance. Since it was first published in 1958, the theory of public goods and its implications for public policy have become incorporated in the main body of the economic analysis of public finance in the literature. A glance at the footnotes of some of the standard textbooks on public finance indicates that this assembly of articles has not been in vain. Probably the most influential part of this collection has been the papers concerned with the theory of public expenditure, which contains two closely related elements. The first is as a part of welfare economics: under what conditions can Pareto optimality be achieved in an economic system in which some goods supplied are indivisible? The other strand of thought is concerned with the positive theory of the public sector: how can economic analysis be used in order to explain how the size and composition of the budget is actually determined?

The events of the last decade have challenged the contemporary neo-classical synthesis in all branches of economics, but particularly public finance. The most notable feature of the 2nd edition of Public Finance in Theory and Practice is the infusion of behavioral economics throughout the text, with an end of chapter question inviting the student to apply a behavioral lens to some question or issue. There continues to be an emphasis on the importance of the institutional context, drawing on examples from many countries and emphasizing the role of lower level governments in a federal system. The first five chapters establish this context by reviewing the role of government in a market system, the description of government structure from an economic perspective, the basic data about revenue and expenditures, the elements of public choice, and the distributional role of government. The book has been substantially reorganized to put more emphasis on public expenditure. Expanded treatment of public goods includes common property resources and congestible or club goods. Expanded discussion of budgeting and cost-benefit analysis provides some practical application of the theory. Updated discussions of social security, public education and health care address these three major contemporary public finance issues. The traditional emphasis on revenue (taxes, fees and grants) has been retained but follows rather than precedes the discussion of expenditures.

The Handbook is a virtual encyclopedia of public financial management, written by topmost experts, many with a background in the IMF and World Bank. It provides the first comprehensive guide to the subject that has been published in more than ten years. The book is aimed at a broad audience of academics/students, government officials, development agencies and practitioners. It covers both bread-and-butter topics such as the macroeconomic and legal framework for budgeting, budget preparation and execution, procurement, accounting, reporting, audit and oversight, as well as specialist subjects such as government payroll systems, local government finance, fiscal transparency, the management of fiscal risks, sovereign wealth funds, the management of state-owned enterprises, and political economy aspects of budgeting. The book sets out numerous examples and case studies describing good practice in public financial management, and is highly relevant for use in both advanced and developing countries.

Originally published in 1991, user charges and earmarked taxes are methods by which people pay directly for the services they recieve from government. As such they are frequently supported by those who oppose increased taxation, who argue that they are more like market transactions than traditional forms of taxation. This book explores the cogency of these arguments in the light of public choice analyses of political processes.

This analysis of the political economy of government debt is divided into two parts. The first part deals with theoretical issues. Topics covered include: behavioural aspects; long term debt strategy; the political economy of redistribution; a model of intergenerational redistribution; the relationship between social security and the deficit in the US; the consequences of endogenous technology; and budgetary and monetary issues related to European integration. The second part of the volume concerns empirical applications, including the empirical relevance of the notion of debt neutrality; the management of the nominal government debt; the global linkages between interest rates and public debt; functional finance; some positive theories of government debt; and suggestions for fiscal indicators.

Assessing both the macro- and micro-economic levels of the contemporary African Debt Crisis, this book, first published in 1989, begins by looking at the origins of the world debt crisis, and then looks closely at the problem as it affects Sub-Saharan Africa. The effects of debt on Africa's position in international relations are considered, and the roles played by organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are assessed. The authors also examine the local effects in a series of case studies of various states including Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone, the Francophone States and Zaire.

The four dragons of Asia - Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea - have achieved remarkable progress over the past decades. These newly industrialising countries (NICs) have emerged as major actors on the world economic scene. Their success can be attributed to a number of factors related to historical background, relationship with China, pattern of governance and performance of administrative, political and economic institutions. This book examines the role of public administration in the accomplishments of the NICs and identifies potential areas of challenge for the dragons.

This book discusses various dimensions of Indian fiscal federalism, focusing on the current fiscal imbalances - both vertical and horizontal - and their correction. Throwing light on different angles of this subject, it presents well-researched papers, which are divided into three sections. The first section, 'Fiscal federalism and resolving the fiscal imbalances', includes five chapters that discuss this theme and also explain the various strategies to remove the existing imbalances in India. 'Fiscal decentralization for high growth' which is the second section, explains how decentralisation leads to high economic growth and showcases empirical evidence from a few Indian states that are flourishing due to this policy. The third section, 'Emerging issues' offers six chapters describing several existing key concerns in fiscal federalism that have a major impact on achieving India's development goals. Including contributions from leading academics in this field, the book will be of great interest to research scholars and policy makers alike. "Besides addressing the core issue of fiscal imbalances and ways to correct them, the [chapters] touch on several issues confronting the Indian fiscal system at the centre , state and local levels. The [chapters] are well researched and well argued. The book is a valuable addition to the literature on Fiscal Federalism." - Dr. C. Rangarajan, Ex-Governor of Reserve Bank of India; Chairman, Madras School of Economics, Chennai, India.

The analysis of investment decisions today draws upon a wide range of sources, from economics and finance to engineering economy and operations research. Dr. Beenhakker's book reflects this interdisciplinary approach, and without assuming prior knowledge of these fields or a sophisticated understanding of mathematics, provides professionals and upper-level students with the concepts and tools they need to make englightened investments in new ventures. Arranged to permit rapid review of an entire investment subject and written in a modular manner to allow readers to jump among chapters without losing their bearings, the book will help business managers deal intelligently with corporate financial and economic issues and government contracts. It will also help planners of the public sector incorporate the views of private industry in their own investment decision making. A unique, readable, comprehensive treatment for investment professionals and also for academics and their graduate-level students.

The analysis of investment decisions today draws upon a wide range of sources, from economics and finance to engineering economy and operations research. Dr. Beenhakker's book reflects this interdisciplinary approach, and without assuming prior knowledge of these fields or a sophisticated understanding of mathematics, provides professionals and upper-level students with the concepts and tools they need to make enlightened investments in new ventures. Arranged to permit rapid review of an entire investment subject and written in a modular manner to allow readers to jump among chapters without losing their bearings, the book will help business managers deal intelligently with corporate financial and economic issues and government contracts. It will also help planners of the public sector incorporate the views of private industry in their own investment decision making. A unique, readable, comprehensive treatment for investment professionals and also for academics and their graduate-level students.

Dr. Beenhakker begins with a study of financial statements and ratios, and covers annual reports, balance sheets, income and retained earnings statements, cash flow statements, and financial ratios. In Chapter 2 he looks at the valuation and investment problems when shares are under- or overvalued. He moves then to derivative securities, and in Chapter 4 to a discussion of diversification planning. In Chapter 5 he takes up the cost of capital, with special attention to risk, uncertainty, and certainty, and in Chapter 6 covers that and other topics in the context of project appraisal. Chapter 7 digs into programming and planning and covers topics such as the marginal cost of capital in capital budgeting, the optimal capital budget, capital rationing, and economic development plans. The book ends with a discussion of cost minimization problems, such as leasing and purchasing, replacement investments, expansion investments, decision trees, and the problem of how to ship quantities from supply to demand centers such that the total cost of transport is minimized. Five appendices provide readers with various tables and formulas to assist in their own calculations.

How does gubernatorial and legislative influence over state spending vary across the American states? This is the question that Governors, Legislators, and Budgets sets out to answer. Clynch and Lauth offer case studies from all areas of the country. Demographically, they range from very rural to heavily urban. They also show a wide diversity in their center of power. Some have their power strongly resting with the governor. Other states show domination by the legislature, and still others paint a picture of evenly dispersed power. This volume provides the contextual richness needed to understand the executive-legislative interaction which occurs during the recurring budgeting process. Chapters two to four focus on strong executive states with gubernatorial domination, approaching the executive centered process envisioned by reformers. The next four chapters concentrate on a variety of states in which the legislature retains the ability to effectively challenge the executive. The remaining chapters examine states with legislative influence and those with unusual arrangements. A closing essay by Clynch and Lauth completes the volume.

This multiauthor reference handbook gives a detailed, objective picture of the evolution, structure, and processes of public administration in representative Third World countries. Written by an international group of specialists with first-hand knowledge of the subject, it presents empirical studies of developing nations in Asia, the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the West Indies, and Latin America. The resulting data are shaped by the editor into a theoretical framework delineating the complex relationships of state, bureaucracy, and class in the Third World.

SubramaniaM's introduction provides a critical overview of development literature in the field. Each case study begins with an historical introduction and discusses the political, executive, and the administrative structures and processes. Among the specific topics covered are public enterprises, administrative departments, personnel, financial administration, and regional and local administrative units. The majority of the systems studied are affected by the unregulated power of public enterprises, the persistence of colonial legacies, and the elitism of the bureaucracy. The concluding section relates these common elements to the sociohistorical characteristics of the middle-class groups that dominate both politics and public administration. Offering new research findings and a useful theoretical synthesis, this study will promote a clearer understanding of the internal political processes of Third World nations and be of compelling interest to specialists and students concerned with Third World political economy, comparative government, and international political economy.

A comparative analysis of the process of public sector transition from central planning to market democracy. It is the story of the difficulties and complexities of moving to a system of greater autonomy for the subnational governments of the Czech and Slovak Republics, including the future of these two governments' fiscal policies after the global recession.

In a dramatic and well-argued challenge to the prevailing wisdom, Prosperity and Public Spending, first published in 1988, contends that the failure of Keynesian economics has been due to its timidity. Far from contracting, the government must expand its powers and activities, in order to achieve and maintain economic prosperity. The need for such expansion arises from the fact that the system has developed from a craft-based economy to a mass-production network with sophisticated international finance. This "transformational growth" brings about irreversible and sometimes devastating changes, requiring government action. Professor Nell argues that a lack of government action in the decade prior to the book's initial publication was responsible for the stagnation of the economy and he asserts that this could only be overcome by a determined policy intervention and the political will to achieve dominance over private capital.

The various dimensions of the changes to the EC budget induced by Maastricht are explored in this volume. Based on the theory of fiscal federalism, this book discusses important aspects of multilayer government finance for existing federations: Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. Paul Bernd Spahn sketches the effects of an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) onto the Community budget, and a systematic treatment of revenue instruments for its future financing concludes the analysis. The main emphasis of the work is on revenue raising for the EC under EMU.

Comparative study of public enterprise management in different countries around the world, pointing to historical trends and current issues and problems. Experts survey an interesting collection of countries in the Americas, Asia, the Middle/Near East, Europe, and Australia. They also discuss public enterprise management education. References with each chapter contribute to the usefulness of this assessment for political scientists, public administrators, international businessmen, and those engaged in international studies.

Since World War II the subject of social choice has grown in many and surprising ways. The impossibility theorems have suggested many directions: mathematical characterisations of voting structures satisfying various sets of conditions, the consequences of restricting choice to certain domaines, the relation to competitive equilibrium and the core, and trade-offs among the partial satisfactions of some conditions. The links with classical and modern theories of justice and, in particular, the competing ideas of rights and utilitarianism have shown the power of formal social choice analysis in illuminating the most basic philosophical arguments about the good social life. Finally, the ideals of the just society meet with the play of self interest; social choice mechanisms can lend themselves to manipulation, and the analysis of conditions under which given ideals can be realised under self interest is a political parallel to the welfare economics of the market. The contributors to these volumes focus on these issues at the forefront of current research.

Urban governance in most western democracies has seen various forms of public-private concerted actions becoming increasingly important instruments for local governments. These new features of urban governance are often seen as local governments trying to enhance their "capacity to act" by fusing their capabilities with those of other major societal actors. At the same time such transgressions of the border between the public and the private spheres of society make local governments more susceptible to political pressures from those actors. This volume looks at the historical development and present performance of public-private partnerships for local economic development in western Europe and the United States. The theoretical framework applied in the volume is derived from theories of governance as well as from institutional theory.

In all countries debt and deficits of the public sector are at the heart of economic policy debate. Debt and deficits pose major problems, all the more pressing in Europe because of the Maastricht criteria for entry into European Monetary Union. And in the developing world debt has been associated with major financial crises. This volume, arising from an International Economic Association conference at the Bundesbank, sees academics and policy makers debate the key issues and their implications in theory and practice.

The financial difficulties experienced by Greece since 2009 serve as a reminder that countries (i.e., sovereigns) may default on their debt. Many observers considered the financial turmoil was behind us because major advanced countries had adopted stimulus packages to prevent banks from going bankrupt. However, there are rising doubts about the creditworthiness of several advanced countries that participated in the bailouts. In this uncertain context, it is particularly crucial to be knowledgeable about sovereign ratings. This book provides the necessary broad overview, which will be of interest to both economists and investors alike. Chapter 1 presents the main issues that are addressed in this book. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 provide the key notions to understand sovereign ratings. Chapter 2 presents an overview of sovereign rating activity since the first such ratings were assigned in 1918. Chapter 3 analyzes the meaning of sovereign ratings and the significance of rating scales; it also describes the refinement of credit rating policies and tools. Chapter 4 focuses on the sovereign rating process. Chapters 5 and 6 open the black box of sovereign ratings. Chapter 5 compares sovereign rating methodologies in the interwar years with those in the modern era. After examining how rating agencies have amended their methodologies since the 1990s, Chapter 6 scrutinizes rating disagreements between credit rating agencies (CRAs). Chapters 7 and 8 measure the performances of sovereign ratings by computing default rates and accuracy ratios: Chapter 7 looks at the interwar years and Chapter 8 at the modern era. The two chapters assess which CRA assigns the most accurate ratings during the respective periods. Chapters 9 and 10 compare the perception of sovereign risk by the CRAs and market participants. Chapter 9 focuses on the relation between JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global spreads and emerging countries' sovereign ratings for the period 1993-2007. Chapter 10 compares the eurozone members' sovereign ratings with Credit Default Swap-Implied Ratings (CDS-IRs) during the Greek debt crisis of November 2009-May 2010.

Local governments are hard-pressed to balance their budgets in the 1990s. Part of any budget-balancing effort is accurate forecasting. In this new work, Howard Frank introduces time-tested forecasting techniques from the private sector and military in a local forecasting environment. In a lucid, user-friendly treatment, Frank shows how simple and complex methods can be put to use in the contemporary local government setting. Through examples--many of them from his own research--the author delineates the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative and non-quantitative forecasting methods. Frank also shows how these techniques can be used to monitor changes in public programs--an increasingly important part of contemporary budget execution.

Frank does not assume an extensive mathematical or statistical background on the part of the reader--indeed, a forecast neophyte will have no difficulty understanding the text. Questions at the end of each chapter focus the reader on the major concepts and provide insights on practical applications within the urban setting. A cornerstone of the work is that local forecasters must be intelligent experimenters with the new tools--there is no canned advice that applies to all cities and forecast situations. But with application of forecasting approaches treated in this unique work, local budgeters--and those in training to become budgeters--will be able to adopt forecasting approaches that have been underutilized in local government.

Don’t you wish you’d started saving and investing when you were younger? Well, this is the book that aims to get kids thinking about the basics of money, and lay the solid foundation in financial education that most of us never had. Featuring playful illustrations, jokes, and fun facts designed to appeal to even the most easilybored youngster, Manage Your Money Like a Grownup: The best money advice for teens covers all the basics South African kids and teens need to know, like:

- The relationship between earning, saving and spending;
- How investing works;
- Why compound interest is a superpower;
- Why we pay taxes; and
- The ethics of money.

Informed by conversations with real kids and their parents, this book aims to equip kids with practical tips for earning and investing money at any age, and questions for kids to torture their parents with to spark lively dinner-table conversations.

Highlighting recent revolutionary changes, this volume deals with the transformation from central planning towards more efficient economic structures in Eastern and Central Europe and the (former) Soviet Union. Political democracy and the creation of market economies have now become realistic aims; but the process of reform is only just beginning and is likely to take many years. The papers and discussion in this book deal with systematic changes, deregulation, abolition of price controls and macroeconomic fiscal and monetary policies needed to stablize the economies and to implement appropriate structural changes.

Fuguitt and Wilcox skillfully guide analysts, public sector managers, and students of decision-making through a full range of the essential steps to perform, interpret, and assess cost-benefit analysis. Their book shows how to grasp the principles of cost-benefit analysis and several related economic valuation methods, how to apply them in undertaking an objective analysis, and how to use the analysis as a decision-making tool across a wide range of fields and applications. An extensive knowledge of economic theory, calculus or advanced graphical analysis is not needed to understand the principles or techniques. Accessible to those who understand basic algebra and have a beginner's hold on statistics, the book also provides a bridge to the more advanced literature in economics and to other analyses used to perform sophisticated valuations. A unique, much-needed presentation of all that is required to gain an immediate, useful understanding of the topic.

The authors explain basic economic concepts and show how they are relevant to understanding an analytical approach. They enumerate principles and detail such technical components as with and without analysis, discounting, decision criteria and uncertainty assessment. The book provides especially extensive coverage of the contingent valuation method along with market valuation, the travel cost and property value methods, human life valuation, and cost-effectiveness analysis. They explain empirical methods used to perform these valuation techniques and cover survey and regression analysis as well. Most importantly, Fuguitt and Wilcox treat the topic within its real-world context--as a decision-making tool to assess a particular policy's efficiency and to provide the decision maker with necessary information. Trade-offs between efficiency and other policy objectives are also addressed, as is the interdisciplinary setting within which cost-benefit analysis is interpreted, enabling readers to understand that policy advocates and adversaries bring their own values and competing interests to bear on any decision-making process.

This text addresses the concerns of human rights in developing nations, reviews research, and suggests solutions for the problems. It is divided into three parts. The first section of the book presents an overview, in terms of the history of political terror in the developing world in the years 1980-1991 and also in examining the very term "human rights." The papers in Part II present different ways of looking at, conceptualizing and measuring human rights policies, practices or conditions. This is followed by an assessment of exactly why there are differences in human rights policies, practices and conditions in developing countries. The final chapter in this section reports the results of a study showing that good human rights practices in developing countries are promoted by the presence of democratic institutions.

Providing the poor with access to financial services is one of many ways to help increase their incomes and productivity. In many countries, however, traditional financial institutions have failed to provide this service. Microcredit and co-operative programmes have been developed to fill this gap. Their purpose is to help the poor become self-employed and thus escape poverty. Many of these programmes provide credit using social mechanisms, such as group-based lending, to reach the poor and other clients, including women, who lack access to formal financial institutions. With increasing assistance from the World Bank and other donors, microfinance is emerging as an instrument for reducing poverty and improving the poor's access to financial services in low-income countries. This book examines the experiences of the Grameen Bank and two other major microcredit programs in Bangladesh in order to quantify the potential and limitations of microcredit programmes as an instrument for reducing poverty and delivering financial sevices to the poor.